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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. stem — to come from
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. dip — to sink
  7. file — a tool
  8. tube — the underground
  9. content — the amount
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. fall — to drop
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. pitch — completely
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. content — happy
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. fall — the season
  19. file — a line of people
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. fall — to drop
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. tube — a container

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