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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. suit — clothes
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. object — to protest
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. club — for dancing
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. object — a thing
  9. file — a tool
  10. lean — to bend
  11. file — a document
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. club — for golf
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. club — a group
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. fork — in a road
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. lean — thin
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. date — the fruit
  22. suit — in cards
  23. object — an aim
  24. file — a line of people

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