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. That must've been a ________________.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. swing — to play on
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. swing — music
  6. bulb — for light
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. bulb — for light
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. squash — to crush
  11. file — a line of people
  12. file — a document
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. ball — a great time
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. ball — a dance
  20. bark — to shout
  21. rush — hurry
  22. swing — in golf
  23. squash — the sport
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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