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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. pound — a weight
  3. club — a group
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. file — a tool
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. suit — to fit
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. file — a line of people
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. club — for dancing
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. rush — hurry
  15. row — a line
  16. row — to paddle
  17. date — the fruit
  18. bulb — for light
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. file — a document
  21. suit — clothes
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. club — for golf
  24. suit — in cards

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