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: file · last · mate · toast · fine · fork · key · pit

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  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. file — a line of people
  2. fine — high quality
  3. toast — bread
  4. key — for a lock
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. last — to go on
  7. last — final
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. fork — in a road
  10. mate — a partner
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. last — finally
  13. key — the most important part
  14. mate — a friend
  15. pit — a hole
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. key — in music
  19. pit — in a race
  20. file — a document
  21. mate — to breed
  22. fine — all right
  23. fork — a garden tool
  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