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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. file — a tool
  4. drill — the tool
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. track — a path
  7. file — a document
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. file — a line of people
  12. pit — a hole
  13. toast — bread
  14. track — to keep track
  15. pop — soda
  16. drill — a practice
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. pit — in a race
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. drill — army training
  21. pop — to visit
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. track — a song

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