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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. file — a line of people
  3. fork — in a road
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. file — a document
  6. content — the amount
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. charge — electricity
  10. file — a tool
  11. charge — in control
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. content — happy
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. charge — a price
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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