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 120 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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. object — to protest
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. track — to keep track
  11. object — a thing
  12. net — after costs
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. net — for catching
  15. net — in sport
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. track — a song
  18. wake — a trail
  19. fork — in a road
  20. file — a document
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. track — a path
  23. file — a tool
  24. object — an aim

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