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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. file — a tool
  3. fall — to drop
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. plane — a tool
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. file — a document
  10. pop — to visit
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. file — a line of people
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. wake — a trail
  15. pop — music
  16. toast — bread
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. fall — to drop
  22. pop — soda
  23. fall — the season
  24. arm — part of the body

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