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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. file — a document
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. file — a tool
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. board — to get on
  9. kid — child
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. kid — to tease
  12. current — electric
  13. band — a music group
  14. current — happening now
  15. ball — a dance
  16. stock — shares
  17. file — a line of people
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. band — a ring
  20. board — a committee
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. stock — goods
  23. ball — a great time
  24. current — of water

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