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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. mark — a grade
  4. spring — a coil
  5. file — a line of people
  6. sharp — clever
  7. object — an aim
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. pass — a permit
  11. file — a tool
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. file — a document
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. content — happy
  17. mark — a trace
  18. content — the amount
  19. object — a thing
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. spring — of water
  22. rush — hurry
  23. spring — the season
  24. object — to protest

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