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 am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. file — a tool
  3. file — a line of people
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. file — a document
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. kid — to tease
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. board — to get on
  12. ball — a great time
  13. stand — to bear
  14. ball — a dance
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. kid — child
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. rush — hurry
  22. fork — in a road
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. board — a committee

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