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: track · file · saw · net · bay · wind · wave · rash

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. track — a song
  3. saw — the tool
  4. file — a tool
  5. file — a document
  6. net — after costs
  7. track — a path
  8. track — to keep track
  9. file — a line of people
  10. saw — the tool
  11. net — in sport
  12. wind — moving air
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. rash — hasty
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. net — for catching
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. wind — moving air
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. bay — a horse colour

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