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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. last — final
  3. tear — from crying
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. last — finally
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. can — a tin
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. cell — a phone
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. file — a tool
  15. last — to go on
  16. tear — from crying
  17. cell — in biology
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. tear — to rip
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — to be able to
  24. file — a line of people

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