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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. kid — to tease
  3. dip — to sink
  4. net — for catching
  5. suit — clothes
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. file — a document
  8. can — a tin
  9. suit — in cards
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. row — a line
  12. file — a line of people
  13. pop — music
  14. suit — to fit
  15. net — in sport
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. net — after costs
  18. row — to paddle
  19. kid — child
  20. file — a tool
  21. pop — to visit
  22. can — a tin
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. can — to be able to

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