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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. file — a tool
  5. content — the amount
  6. wind — moving air
  7. pound — a weight
  8. can — a tin
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. file — a document
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. wind — moving air
  14. content — happy
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — to be able to
  20. file — a line of people
  21. band — a music group
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. band — a ring
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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