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 120 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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. net — in sport
  3. bore — to drill
  4. track — to keep track
  5. shower — to wash
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. plane — a tool
  8. net — for catching
  9. file — a tool
  10. file — a document
  11. track — a song
  12. deal — to handle
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. bore — to tire
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. file — a line of people
  20. foot — a measure
  21. net — after costs
  22. track — a path
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. foot — part of the body

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