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 120 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 tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. charge — in control
  5. file — a document
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. can — a tin
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. pound — a weight
  10. can — a tin
  11. charge — electricity
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. file — a line of people
  15. fork — in a road
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. can — to be able to
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. mine — for digging
  22. file — a tool
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. pound — to hit hard

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