ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. net — after costs
  3. stock — shares
  4. net — in sport
  5. file — a document
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. chip — to eat
  8. key — in music
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. key — for a lock
  11. file — a line of people
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. rash — hasty
  14. rash — a series
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. key — the most important part
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. net — for catching
  21. chip — for betting
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. stock — goods
  24. safe — out of danger

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com