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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. saw — the tool
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. file — a document
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. game — wild animals
  8. file — a line of people
  9. game — a match
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. perch — the fish
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. file — a tool
  16. pitch — completely
  17. deal — to handle
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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