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 116 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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. file — a tool
  4. rule — government
  5. file — a line of people
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. ground — crushed
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. rule — a law
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. plane — a tool
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. ground — the earth
  19. ground — a position
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. pit — in a race
  24. file — a document

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