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 muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. object — an aim
  3. can — a tin
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. track — to keep track
  6. chip — to eat
  7. can — a tin
  8. file — a document
  9. cell — a phone
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. file — a line of people
  13. can — to be able to
  14. bass — low music
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. track — a song
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. object — a thing
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. object — to protest
  21. bass — the fish
  22. cell — in biology
  23. file — a tool
  24. chip — for betting

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