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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  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. file — a tool
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. suit — in cards
  5. foot — a measure
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. file — a line of people
  8. file — a document
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. scale — size or range
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. tear — to rip
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. suit — to fit
  20. tear — from crying
  21. scale — in music
  22. suit — clothes
  23. tear — from crying
  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