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: file · suit · chip · field · fan · object · track · root

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. object — an aim
  3. suit — to fit
  4. chip — to eat
  5. field — farmland
  6. field — a subject
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. suit — clothes
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. object — a thing
  11. field — for sport
  12. file — a document
  13. object — to protest
  14. track — a path
  15. suit — in cards
  16. track — to keep track
  17. file — a line of people
  18. track — a song
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. root — the cause
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. root — of a word
  23. chip — for betting
  24. root — of a plant

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