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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. file — a tool
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. file — a line of people
  6. present — a gift
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. object — an aim
  9. craft — boats
  10. rash — hasty
  11. club — for golf
  12. club — a group
  13. club — for dancing
  14. present — the time now
  15. present — there
  16. craft — a skill
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. object — to protest
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. file — a document
  22. deal — to handle
  23. object — a thing
  24. rash — a series

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