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

Word bank: suit · fork · plane · squash · jam · cell · pass · file

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. cell — a phone
  3. plane — a tool
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. file — a document
  7. suit — to fit
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. fork — in a road
  11. cell — in biology
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. suit — clothes
  16. file — a line of people
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. squash — the sport
  20. pass — a permit
  21. squash — to crush
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. file — a tool
  24. fork — to eat with

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