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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. rock — a stone
  4. bound — obliged
  5. mark — a grade
  6. mark — a trace
  7. root — of a word
  8. file — a document
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. root — the cause
  14. file — a line of people
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. chair — a leader
  18. bound — certain
  19. rock — music
  20. chip — to eat
  21. chip — for betting
  22. bound — tied together
  23. root — of a plant
  24. toast — bread

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