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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. object — a thing
  4. object — an aim
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. sharp — clever
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. current — happening now
  10. current — of water
  11. wind — moving air
  12. file — a line of people
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. current — electric
  15. track — to keep track
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. dip — to sink
  18. file — a document
  19. object — to protest
  20. track — a path
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. track — a song
  24. file — a tool

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