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 120 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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. file — a document
  3. suit — to fit
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. rash — hasty
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. file — a tool
  8. root — the cause
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. root — of a word
  11. rash — a series
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. suit — clothes
  15. suit — in cards
  16. swing — to play on
  17. root — of a plant
  18. file — a line of people
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. swing — in golf
  22. craft — boats
  23. swing — music
  24. craft — a skill

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