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 assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. pit — a hole
  3. file — a document
  4. pit — in a race
  5. fine — high quality
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. ball — a dance
  8. file — a line of people
  9. file — a tool
  10. shower — rain
  11. suit — in cards
  12. mark — a grade
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. mark — a trace
  15. suit — clothes
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. suit — to fit
  22. vault — a safe
  23. shower — to wash
  24. ball — a great time

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