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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  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. pitch — a sales talk
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. field — farmland
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. field — for sport
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. pitch — completely
  10. field — a subject
  11. can — to be able to
  12. object — a thing
  13. object — to protest
  14. can — a tin
  15. bat — the animal
  16. file — a document
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. can — a tin
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. file — a tool
  23. bat — in an idiom
  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