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. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. band — a music group
  4. file — a document
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. plane — a tool
  7. game — a match
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. game — wild animals
  13. bulb — for light
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. file — a line of people
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. dip — to sink
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. bulb — for light
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. deal — to handle
  22. band — a ring
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. plane — in geometry

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