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

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. charge — in control
  3. stem — to come from
  4. charge — a price
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. fall — to drop
  8. chest — a box
  9. fine — all right
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. plane — a tool
  12. file — a line of people
  13. fall — to drop
  14. file — a document
  15. track — to keep track
  16. fine — high quality
  17. fall — the season
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. track — a song
  20. chest — of your body
  21. track — a path
  22. chest — of your body
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. charge — electricity

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