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: file · pitch · kid · hide · cell · content · nail · plane

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. file — a tool
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. file — a document
  5. pitch — completely
  6. cell — in biology
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. plane — a tool
  14. kid — child
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. content — the amount
  20. file — a line of people
  21. kid — to tease
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. cell — a phone
  24. content — happy

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