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: key · file · field · bore · plane · bound · rock · pit

  1. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. pit — a hole
  3. key — in music
  4. plane — a tool
  5. bound — tied together
  6. bore — to tire
  7. bound — certain
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. bound — obliged
  10. field — a subject
  11. file — a document
  12. field — for sport
  13. key — the most important part
  14. rock — a stone
  15. key — for a lock
  16. file — a tool
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. bore — to drill
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. pit — in a race
  22. file — a line of people
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. rock — 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