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 · fall · ground · drill · nail · craft · cell · file

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. fall — the season
  3. file — a line of people
  4. drill — a practice
  5. cell — in biology
  6. track — to keep track
  7. drill — the tool
  8. craft — a skill
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. fall — to drop
  11. track — a path
  12. fall — to drop
  13. drill — army training
  14. cell — a phone
  15. craft — boats
  16. file — a document
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. ground — a position
  20. track — a song
  21. ground — crushed
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. ground — the earth
  24. file — a tool

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