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: file · prune · dip · straw · fine · bass · mate · capital

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. file — a line of people
  3. capital — money
  4. dip — to sink
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bass — low music
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. prune — to trim
  12. mate — to breed
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. fine — all right
  15. mate — a partner
  16. capital — a city
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. prune — to trim
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. bass — the fish
  21. file — a document
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. mate — a friend
  24. fine — high quality

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