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: wind · file · march · firm · coach · stock · chip · pit

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. pit — in a race
  3. march — music
  4. file — a document
  5. pit — a hole
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. firm — decided
  8. firm — steady
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. stock — goods
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. file — a line of people
  16. chip — to eat
  17. stock — shares
  18. wind — moving air
  19. chip — for betting
  20. march — the month
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. wind — moving air
  23. march — the month
  24. file — a tool

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