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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. ground — a position
  3. ground — the earth
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. file — a document
  6. ground — crushed
  7. net — for catching
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. net — in sport
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. file — a line of people
  18. bore — to tire
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. scale — in music
  21. file — a tool
  22. net — after costs
  23. bore — to drill
  24. scale — size or range

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