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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. fall — the season
  3. file — a tool
  4. drill — a practice
  5. file — a document
  6. fall — to drop
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. fine — all right
  9. drill — the tool
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. file — a line of people
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. drill — army training
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. fall — to drop
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. fine — high quality

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