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 information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. file — a tool
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. pop — soda
  6. pop — music
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. pop — to visit
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. file — a line of people
  14. sharp — clever
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. degree — temperature
  17. dip — to sink
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. degree — an amount
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. degree — from a university

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