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: stand · pit · row · jam · rush · drill · cap · file

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. drill — a practice
  3. row — to paddle
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. cap — a hat
  6. pit — in a race
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. stand — to bear
  9. drill — the tool
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. file — a line of people
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. rush — hurry
  16. row — a line
  17. pit — a hole
  18. file — a document
  19. drill — army training
  20. cap — of ice
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. file — a tool
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. rush — to hurry

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