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: file · shower · wound · sharp · coach · press · firm · game

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. file — a document
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. press — to push
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. file — a tool
  9. shower — rain
  10. shower — to wash
  11. press — newspapers
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. firm — decided
  14. sharp — clever
  15. wound — an injury
  16. press — a publisher
  17. firm — a company
  18. game — wild animals
  19. firm — steady
  20. wound — an injury
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. file — a line of people
  24. game — a match

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