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: present · club · hide · sharp · file · staff · pass · chip

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. file — a tool
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. sharp — clever
  7. chip — to eat
  8. club — for golf
  9. present — there
  10. chip — for betting
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. staff — employees
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. present — a gift
  16. club — for dancing
  17. staff — employees
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. present — the time now
  20. file — a line of people
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. staff — a stick
  23. club — a group
  24. pass — a permit

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