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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. craft — boats
  3. suit — clothes
  4. file — a tool
  5. field — for sport
  6. craft — a skill
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. fine — high quality
  9. field — a subject
  10. fine — all right
  11. press — to push
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. bass — low music
  14. suit — in cards
  15. field — farmland
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. suit — to fit
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. bass — the fish
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. file — a document
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. press — a publisher
  24. press — newspapers

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