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

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. charge — a price
  3. rash — a series
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. fine — high quality
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. file — a document
  8. charge — in control
  9. face — part of the head
  10. rash — hasty
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. file — a tool
  13. face — to point toward
  14. face — to confront
  15. pitch — completely
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. plane — a tool
  18. fine — all right
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. file — a line of people
  23. charge — electricity
  24. plane — an aircraft

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