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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. file — a tool
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. band — a music group
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. rash — hasty
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. kick — in football
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. bulb — for light
  13. toast — bread
  14. band — a ring
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. file — a document
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. file — a line of people
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. rash — a series
  24. bulb — for light

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