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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. fall — the season
  3. fall — to drop
  4. track — a song
  5. clip — for paper
  6. suit — in cards
  7. wake — a trail
  8. track — to keep track
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. file — a document
  11. rush — hurry
  12. track — a path
  13. clip — to cut
  14. fine — all right
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. suit — clothes
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. suit — to fit
  19. fine — high quality
  20. clip — a video
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. file — a tool
  24. file — a line of people

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