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: game · cabinet · file · rock · current · club · track · bay

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. file — a line of people
  3. track — a song
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. club — for golf
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. track — a path
  9. file — a document
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. current — electric
  12. club — a group
  13. rock — music
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. track — to keep track
  16. current — happening now
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. game — a match
  19. game — wild animals
  20. rock — a stone
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. file — a tool
  23. club — for dancing
  24. rock — to move gently

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