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 120 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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. track — to keep track
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. wind — moving air
  6. track — a song
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. file — a document
  9. fine — all right
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. file — a line of people
  13. wind — moving air
  14. track — a path
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. cell — a phone
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. fine — high quality
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. file — a tool
  22. stand — to bear
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. cell — in biology

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