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 116 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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. plane — a tool
  3. tear — to rip
  4. suit — in cards
  5. can — a tin
  6. suit — clothes
  7. current — electric
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. current — happening now
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. file — a tool
  12. dip — to sink
  13. suit — to fit
  14. file — a document
  15. can — a tin
  16. can — to be able to
  17. current — of water
  18. tear — from crying
  19. file — a line of people
  20. degree — temperature
  21. degree — from a university
  22. degree — an amount
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. tear — from crying

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