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: file · fork · mouse · drill · land · rock · lash · pit

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. pit — a hole
  4. drill — a practice
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. rock — a stone
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. drill — army training
  9. fork — in a road
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. land — a country
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. file — a line of people
  15. land — ground
  16. drill — the tool
  17. rock — music
  18. land — to come down
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. file — a tool
  22. pit — in a race
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mouse — the animal

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