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 had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. file — a tool
  3. rest — a break
  4. rest — what's left
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. branch — a division
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. rest — what's left
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. file — a line of people
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. rock — music
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. file — a document
  15. dip — to sink
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. row — to paddle
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. rock — a stone
  20. shower — rain
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. shower — to wash
  24. row — a line

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