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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. net — for catching
  4. file — a document
  5. charge — electricity
  6. net — after costs
  7. net — in sport
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. fork — in a road
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. mark — a grade
  19. charge — a price
  20. charge — in control
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. file — a tool
  23. file — a line of people
  24. fan — a supporter

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