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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. pop — to visit
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. file — a tool
  6. file — a line of people
  7. band — a ring
  8. band — a music group
  9. pop — soda
  10. sharp — clever
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. suit — in cards
  13. pop — music
  14. foot — a measure
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. fall — to drop
  17. suit — clothes
  18. swing — to play on
  19. swing — music
  20. file — a document
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. swing — in golf
  23. fall — to drop
  24. suit — to fit

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