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: band · file · net · calf · mouse · field · fall · can

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. field — for sport
  3. field — farmland
  4. file — a document
  5. band — a ring
  6. file — a line of people
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. field — a subject
  9. net — for catching
  10. fall — to drop
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. fall — the season
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. net — after costs
  17. can — a tin
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. band — a music group
  20. net — in sport
  21. can — to be able to
  22. fall — to drop
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. can — a tin

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