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

Word bank: present · craft · file · track · lie · degree · snap · key

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. file — a document
  3. key — in music
  4. present — there
  5. craft — a skill
  6. file — a tool
  7. lie — to recline
  8. key — the most important part
  9. craft — boats
  10. degree — temperature
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. track — a song
  13. present — a gift
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. present — the time now
  17. track — to keep track
  18. key — for a lock
  19. degree — from a university
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. degree — an amount
  22. snap — to click
  23. track — a path
  24. lie — an untruth

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