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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. file — a tool
  3. rest — a break
  4. pit — a hole
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. ball — a great time
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. season — in sport
  9. rash — hasty
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. ball — a dance
  13. prune — to trim
  14. rash — a series
  15. mate — a partner
  16. file — a line of people
  17. rest — what's left
  18. mate — a friend
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. season — of the year
  21. mate — to breed
  22. rest — what's left
  23. pit — in a race
  24. prune — to trim

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