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 116 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: pass · bark · file · game · key · scale · club · clip

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. game — wild animals
  3. file — a tool
  4. scale — size or range
  5. pass — a permit
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. club — a group
  9. clip — for paper
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. club — for golf
  12. bark — to shout
  13. file — a document
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. club — for dancing
  16. key — in music
  17. clip — a video
  18. clip — to cut
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. scale — in music
  22. key — the most important part
  23. game — a match
  24. key — for a lock

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