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 ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. file — a document
  4. file — a tool
  5. current — electric
  6. club — for dancing
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. land — to come down
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. file — a line of people
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. land — ground
  15. club — a group
  16. current — of water
  17. current — happening now
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. land — a country
  22. club — for golf
  23. dip — to sink
  24. racket — for tennis

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