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 · pass · field · deal · fall · pit · drill · current

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. drill — a practice
  4. deal — to handle
  5. fall — the season
  6. drill — army training
  7. field — farmland
  8. field — for sport
  9. current — happening now
  10. fall — to drop
  11. pit — in a race
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. current — of water
  14. fall — to drop
  15. drill — the tool
  16. pit — a hole
  17. file — a line of people
  18. pass — a permit
  19. field — a subject
  20. file — a tool
  21. file — a document
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. deal — a big deal

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