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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. file — a tool
  3. suit — clothes
  4. suit — in cards
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. pound — a weight
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. club — for golf
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. perch — the fish
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. file — a line of people
  14. rule — government
  15. rule — a law
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. file — a document
  18. suit — to fit
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. club — a group
  21. cell — in biology
  22. club — for dancing
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. perch — for a bird

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