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: file · date · kid · bore · deal · plane · court · pitcher

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. file — a tool
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. deal — to handle
  6. bore — to drill
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. date — the fruit
  10. file — a line of people
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. court — of a king
  16. court — for sport
  17. plane — a tool
  18. kid — child
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. court — of law
  21. kid — to tease
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. bore — to tire

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