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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. file — a document
  3. prune — to trim
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. bulb — for light
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. file — a line of people
  10. stand — to bear
  11. swing — to play on
  12. wax — to grow
  13. prune — to trim
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. stock — shares
  18. bulb — for light
  19. sharp — clever
  20. stock — goods
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. swing — in golf
  24. swing — music

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