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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. dip — to sink
  3. pop — music
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. stock — shares
  9. wound — an injury
  10. pop — to visit
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. wound — an injury
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. charge — in control
  15. charge — electricity
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. pop — soda
  18. file — a document
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. charge — a price
  22. file — a line of people
  23. stock — goods
  24. hide — to keep secret

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