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: spring · face · file · saw · stand · hand · rash · jam

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. saw — the tool
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. file — a document
  5. rash — a series
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. spring — a coil
  9. rash — hasty
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. face — part of the head
  12. face — to confront
  13. saw — the tool
  14. hand — in cards
  15. stand — to bear
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. spring — the season
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. file — a tool
  20. face — to point toward
  21. spring — of water
  22. file — a line of people
  23. hand — help
  24. stand — for spectators

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