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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. saw — the tool
  3. drill — the tool
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. pound — a weight
  6. file — a tool
  7. current — electric
  8. file — a line of people
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. mark — a grade
  12. current — happening now
  13. suit — clothes
  14. current — of water
  15. saw — the tool
  16. file — a document
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. vault — a safe
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. drill — army training
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. mark — a trace
  23. drill — a practice
  24. suit — to fit

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