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 walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. band — a music group
  5. rock — a stone
  6. pop — to visit
  7. rock — music
  8. band — a ring
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. pop — music
  12. pop — soda
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. file — a document
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. file — a tool
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. fork — in a road
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. bat — the animal
  24. bat — in an idiom

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