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 120 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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. suit — clothes
  4. file — a line of people
  5. suit — in cards
  6. foot — a measure
  7. content — the amount
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. content — happy
  11. file — a tool
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. rule — government
  15. file — a document
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. suit — to fit
  23. pitch — completely
  24. rule — a law

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