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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. file — a document
  5. mate — a friend
  6. file — a line of people
  7. mate — to breed
  8. file — a tool
  9. mate — a partner
  10. club — a group
  11. mine — for digging
  12. pass — a permit
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. club — for golf
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. club — for dancing

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