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 120 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: object · file · cabinet · mug · saw · shower · pitch · wind

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. file — a tool
  3. mug — a face
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. mug — to rob
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. pitch — completely
  8. mug — a cup
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. file — a document
  11. saw — the tool
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. shower — rain
  14. object — an aim
  15. saw — the tool
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. object — a thing
  19. wind — moving air
  20. object — to protest
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. wind — moving air
  23. shower — to wash
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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