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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. bound — obliged
  3. file — a tool
  4. race — humankind
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. drill — army training
  7. object — an aim
  8. bound — certain
  9. file — a document
  10. object — to protest
  11. object — a thing
  12. mark — a trace
  13. mark — a grade
  14. race — the arms race
  15. drill — the tool
  16. tube — a container
  17. race — a contest
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. drill — a practice
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. bound — tied together
  23. tube — the underground
  24. hide — animal skin

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