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: fan · pit · last · file · row · can · ruler · cell

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. can — a tin
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. row — a line
  6. last — final
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. file — a document
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. pit — in a race
  12. can — a tin
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. cell — in biology
  15. row — to paddle
  16. file — a line of people
  17. file — a tool
  18. can — to be able to
  19. last — to go on
  20. last — finally
  21. cell — a phone
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. pit — a hole
  24. ruler — for measuring

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