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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. file — a tool
  3. chip — to eat
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. file — a document
  6. dip — to sink
  7. file — a line of people
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. pitch — completely
  10. fall — to drop
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. bear — the animal
  13. fall — the season
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. row — to paddle
  19. chip — for betting
  20. bear — the animal
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. row — a line
  24. chip — in a computer

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