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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. drill — a practice
  3. last — final
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. chip — for betting
  7. last — finally
  8. file — a tool
  9. chip — to eat
  10. degree — an amount
  11. degree — temperature
  12. spell — magic
  13. file — a line of people
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. spell — letters
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. drill — the tool
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. last — to go on
  20. spell — a short time
  21. degree — from a university
  22. snap — to click
  23. drill — army training
  24. chip — in a computer

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