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 116 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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. file — a line of people
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. can — to be able to
  6. file — a tool
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. court — of law
  10. lean — thin
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. lean — to bend
  13. vault — a safe
  14. sharp — clever
  15. court — for sport
  16. suit — to fit
  17. suit — clothes
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. file — a document
  20. court — of a king
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. can — a tin
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. can — a tin

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