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: pop · shower · file · hide · safe · degree · season · bay

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. pop — to visit
  3. file — a line of people
  4. degree — from a university
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. file — a tool
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. degree — temperature
  11. shower — rain
  12. pop — music
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. season — in sport
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. degree — an amount
  18. season — of the year
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. pop — soda
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. shower — to wash

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