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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. file — a line of people
  3. hand — help
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. lean — to bend
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. hand — in cards
  8. file — a document
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. toast — bread
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. dip — to sink
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. season — in sport
  17. lean — thin
  18. season — of the year

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