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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. squash — the sport
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. bore — to drill
  6. current — happening now
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. bark — to shout
  10. file — a tool
  11. file — a line of people
  12. bat — the animal
  13. bore — to tire
  14. current — of water
  15. current — electric
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. key — for a lock
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. key — the most important part
  21. stand — to bear
  22. key — in music
  23. squash — to crush
  24. file — a document

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