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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: racket · file · present · stick · hide · staff

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. file — a document
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. present — there
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. staff — a stick
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. present — a gift
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. file — a tool
  12. present — the time now
  13. staff — employees
  14. staff — employees
  15. file — a line of people
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. hide — animal skin

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