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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. can — to be able to
  3. kid — child
  4. club — a group
  5. club — for dancing
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. spell — letters
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. suit — clothes
  11. suit — to fit
  12. file — a line of people
  13. can — a tin
  14. file — a document
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. suit — in cards
  17. kid — to tease
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. file — a tool
  20. perch — the fish
  21. can — a tin
  22. spell — magic
  23. club — for golf
  24. spell — a short time

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