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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. board — to get on
  4. file — a document
  5. wind — moving air
  6. file — a tool
  7. swing — to play on
  8. mark — a trace
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. file — a line of people
  12. fall — the season
  13. charge — a price
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. wind — moving air
  16. charge — in control
  17. fall — to drop
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. charge — electricity
  20. fall — to drop
  21. swing — in golf
  22. sharp — clever
  23. swing — music
  24. board — a committee

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