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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. deal — to handle
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. fall — to drop
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. file — a line of people
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. fork — in a road
  10. file — a tool
  11. ball — a great time
  12. squash — to crush
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. fall — to drop
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. ball — a dance
  19. bass — low music
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. fall — the season
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. bass — the fish
  24. squash — the sport

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