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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. file — a line of people
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. current — of water
  5. bulb — for light
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. kid — child
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. file — a tool
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. current — electric
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. perch — the fish
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. current — happening now
  20. kid — to tease
  21. vault — a safe
  22. bulb — for light
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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