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: deal · dip · saw · track · season · fall · file · firm

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. track — a path
  3. fall — to drop
  4. firm — steady
  5. saw — the tool
  6. track — a song
  7. fall — the season
  8. season — of the year
  9. file — a line of people
  10. dip — to sink
  11. deal — to handle
  12. firm — a company
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. firm — decided
  15. saw — the tool
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. fall — to drop
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. file — a document
  22. season — in sport
  23. track — to keep track
  24. dip — a sauce

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