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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. foot — a measure
  3. sharp — clever
  4. file — a tool
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. vault — a safe
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. clip — to cut
  10. scale — in music
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. clip — a video
  14. file — a line of people
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. clip — for paper
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. scale — size or range
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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