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 120 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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. file — a document
  3. drill — a practice
  4. shower — rain
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. drill — army training
  7. squash — the sport
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. file — a line of people
  11. band — a music group
  12. kick — in football
  13. drill — the tool
  14. shower — to wash
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. band — a ring
  18. file — a tool
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. sharp — clever
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. sharp — with an edge

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