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: cap · bass · fork · roll · deal · stem · bay · file

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. file — a tool
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. fork — in a road
  6. file — a line of people
  7. bass — low music
  8. stem — to come from
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. bass — the fish
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. cap — of ice
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. cap — a hat
  20. deal — to handle
  21. roll — a cake
  22. file — a document
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. cap — a lid

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