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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. present — the time now
  4. bulb — for light
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. wind — moving air
  7. file — a tool
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. can — to be able to
  10. stock — goods
  11. kick — in football
  12. rash — a series
  13. can — a tin
  14. present — a gift
  15. stock — shares
  16. bulb — for light
  17. present — there
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. wind — moving air
  21. file — a document
  22. can — a tin
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. rash — hasty

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