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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. scale — size or range
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. key — in music
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. cold — not warm
  7. content — happy
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. charge — electricity
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. key — for a lock
  12. file — a tool
  13. key — the most important part
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. charge — in control
  16. content — the amount
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. scale — in music
  19. file — a line of people
  20. branch — a division
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. pass — a permit
  23. charge — a price
  24. cold — an illness

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