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: hide · jam · file · lean · bark · ball · coach · stick

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. file — a tool
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. file — a document
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. ball — a dance
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. lean — thin
  16. ball — a great time
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. bark — to shout
  19. lean — to bend
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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