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: calf · rock · wound · mouse · fall · saw · jam · file

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. fall — the season
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. rock — a stone
  6. wound — an injury
  7. saw — the tool
  8. file — a line of people
  9. fall — to drop
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. saw — the tool
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. rock — music
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. fall — to drop
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. file — a document
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. wound — an injury

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