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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. file — a line of people
  3. craft — boats
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. tear — from crying
  6. file — a document
  7. charge — in control
  8. cell — a phone
  9. tear — from crying
  10. bass — low music
  11. charge — electricity
  12. pitch — completely
  13. charge — a price
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. cell — in biology
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. craft — a skill
  19. wind — moving air
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. file — a tool
  22. wind — moving air
  23. tear — to rip
  24. bass — the fish

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