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: fine · staff · pitcher · vault · file · rash · bass · pit

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. staff — a stick
  3. rash — hasty
  4. pit — in a race
  5. bass — the fish
  6. fine — high quality
  7. file — a tool
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. staff — employees
  10. bass — low music
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. staff — employees
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. rash — a series
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. file — a document
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. vault — a safe
  22. fine — all right
  23. file — a line of people
  24. pit — a hole

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