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

Word bank: shower · ruler · kid · tube · bass · key · rest · file

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. file — a line of people
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. kid — to tease
  6. rest — what's left
  7. file — a tool
  8. key — in music
  9. bass — low music
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. shower — to wash
  12. kid — child
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. tube — the underground
  16. key — for a lock
  17. shower — rain
  18. rest — what's left
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. file — a document
  21. rest — a break
  22. key — the most important part
  23. bass — the fish
  24. tube — a container

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