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. That was a fun ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. game — a match
  3. pound — a weight
  4. spring — a coil
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. spring — of water
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. file — a line of people
  12. bass — low music
  13. bass — the fish
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. spring — the season
  17. game — wild animals
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. pass — a permit
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. lie — to recline
  24. file — a tool

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