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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: club · squash · suit · rush · file · ruler · wake · track

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  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. suit — to fit
  2. squash — to crush
  3. club — a group
  4. file — a line of people
  5. track — a song
  6. track — to keep track
  7. wake — a trail
  8. file — a tool
  9. suit — clothes
  10. track — a path
  11. rush — hurry
  12. club — for golf
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. squash — the sport
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. club — for dancing
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. file — a document
  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