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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. wind — moving air
  3. game — a match
  4. shower — rain
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. file — a document
  8. firm — steady
  9. content — the amount
  10. file — a line of people
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. firm — a company
  13. firm — decided
  14. wind — moving air
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. shower — to wash
  17. file — a tool
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. mug — a face
  20. mug — to rob
  21. content — happy
  22. mug — a cup
  23. game — wild animals
  24. game — a kind of play

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