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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. land — a country
  4. pop — music
  5. craft — boats
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. deal — to handle
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. file — a document
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. file — a line of people
  13. spring — the season
  14. mine — for digging
  15. spring — of water
  16. land — ground
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. pop — soda
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. pop — to visit
  22. spring — a coil
  23. craft — a skill
  24. land — to come down

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