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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. rash — hasty
  3. snap — to click
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. deal — to handle
  6. pop — soda
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. file — a tool
  9. pop — music
  10. current — electric
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. pop — to visit
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. current — of water
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. file — a document
  21. rash — a series
  22. current — happening now
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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