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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. file — a tool
  3. shower — rain
  4. key — for a lock
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. file — a document
  10. spell — letters
  11. march — the month
  12. file — a line of people
  13. shower — to wash
  14. bulb — for light
  15. rock — music
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. spell — a short time
  18. key — in music
  19. rock — a stone
  20. key — the most important part
  21. march — music
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. bulb — for light
  24. spell — magic

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