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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. wind — moving air
  3. wind — moving air
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. file — a tool
  7. dip — to sink
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. file — a document
  11. ball — a dance
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. file — a line of people
  16. can — to be able to
  17. ball — a great time
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — a tin
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. fan — a supporter

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