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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. scale — size or range
  3. current — happening now
  4. squash — the sport
  5. pass — a permit
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. squash — to crush
  9. land — to come down
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. file — a tool
  12. current — electric
  13. current — of water
  14. scale — in music
  15. content — happy
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. content — the amount
  18. bulb — for light
  19. land — a country
  20. file — a document
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. bulb — for light
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. land — ground

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