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: bowl · chip · field · file · wind · deal · scale · hide

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. wind — moving air
  3. file — a document
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. file — a line of people
  6. scale — size or range
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. scale — in music
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. deal — to handle
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. field — farmland
  13. field — for sport
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. chip — for betting
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. wind — moving air
  22. field — a subject
  23. chip — to eat
  24. hide — to keep secret

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