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 124 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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. sharp — clever
  4. toast — bread
  5. fork — in a road
  6. hand — help
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. hand — in cards
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. file — a document
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. file — a line of people
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. pound — a weight
  24. ruler — for measuring

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