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: net · suit · file · vault · game · row · date · track

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. file — a line of people
  3. track — a song
  4. net — for catching
  5. game — a match
  6. file — a document
  7. suit — clothes
  8. track — to keep track
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. row — to paddle
  11. file — a tool
  12. net — after costs
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. net — in sport
  16. date — the fruit
  17. suit — to fit
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. suit — in cards
  20. track — a path
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. vault — a safe
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. row — a line

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