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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. can — to be able to
  3. present — a gift
  4. degree — temperature
  5. file — a tool
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. present — the time now
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. present — there
  13. can — a tin
  14. pitch — completely
  15. can — a tin
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. file — a line of people
  18. toast — bread
  19. degree — from a university
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. degree — an amount
  24. leaves — of a tree

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