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: face · press · file · track · saw · roll · date · perch

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. perch — the fish
  3. track — a path
  4. roll — a list
  5. file — a document
  6. face — to point toward
  7. saw — the tool
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. track — a song
  10. file — a tool
  11. file — a line of people
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. roll — a cake
  15. press — newspapers
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. date — the fruit
  18. press — a publisher
  19. track — to keep track
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. press — to push
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. face — part of the head
  24. face — to confront

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