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: rule · stand · saw · dip · fall · racket · file · pitcher

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. fall — to drop
  3. fall — to drop
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. stand — to bear
  10. saw — the tool
  11. rule — government
  12. rule — a law
  13. file — a document
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. saw — the tool
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. file — a line of people
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. dip — to sink
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. fall — the season
  22. file — a tool
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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