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 refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. present — the time now
  3. mug — to rob
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. club — a group
  6. file — a tool
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. present — a gift
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. club — for dancing
  11. file — a document
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. mug — a face
  15. file — a line of people
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. present — there
  18. spring — a coil
  19. spring — of water
  20. rush — hurry
  21. spring — the season
  22. perch — the fish
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. club — for golf

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