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: sharp · plane · rush · cue · stem · saw · file · clip

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. cue — a signal
  3. saw — the tool
  4. rush — hurry
  5. clip — for paper
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. saw — the tool
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. stem — to come from
  11. clip — a video
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. file — a tool
  14. file — a line of people
  15. clip — to cut
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. cue — for pool
  18. plane — a tool
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. sharp — clever
  23. cue — a hint
  24. sharp — with an edge

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