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: cell · content · race · file · hide · rest · fine · mug

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. race — a contest
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. cell — a phone
  6. mug — a face
  7. file — a line of people
  8. rest — a break
  9. content — happy
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. cell — in biology
  13. fine — high quality
  14. mug — a cup
  15. rest — what's left
  16. race — the arms race
  17. file — a document
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. content — the amount
  20. rest — what's left
  21. mug — to rob
  22. file — a tool
  23. fine — all right
  24. race — humankind

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