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 116 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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. cue — a hint
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. file — a line of people
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. charge — electricity
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. cue — for pool
  10. scale — in music
  11. content — happy
  12. file — a document
  13. vault — a safe
  14. content — the amount
  15. scale — size or range
  16. cue — a signal
  17. saw — the tool
  18. charge — a price
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. saw — the tool
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. charge — in control

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