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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. face — to point toward
  4. mug — a cup
  5. mug — a face
  6. stock — goods
  7. staff — a stick
  8. file — a line of people
  9. march — the month
  10. hand — help
  11. face — to confront
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. staff — employees
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. hand — in cards
  16. perch — the fish
  17. file — a tool
  18. mug — to rob
  19. staff — employees
  20. face — part of the head
  21. march — the month
  22. march — music
  23. stock — shares
  24. hand — part of the body

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