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 116 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 took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. stock — goods
  3. lean — to bend
  4. current — happening now
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. band — a music group
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. bulb — for light
  10. shower — to wash
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. stock — shares
  14. band — a ring
  15. bulb — for light
  16. file — a tool
  17. current — electric
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. file — a document
  21. lean — thin
  22. file — a line of people
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. current — of water

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