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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. band — a ring
  3. file — a line of people
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. pop — soda
  7. race — a contest
  8. file — a document
  9. pop — music
  10. saw — the tool
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. cell — in biology
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. file — a tool
  16. pop — to visit
  17. race — humankind
  18. band — a music group
  19. race — the arms race
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. saw — the tool
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. cell — a phone
  24. leaves — lets stay

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