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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. file — a tool
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. rash — a series
  6. tube — a container
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. spell — magic
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. spell — a short time
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. firm — a company
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. file — a document
  18. firm — decided
  19. file — a line of people
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. firm — steady
  22. spell — letters
  23. rash — hasty
  24. mine — for digging

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