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 120 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: firm · root · sharp · fall · current · file · kid · suit

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. firm — steady
  4. file — a tool
  5. firm — decided
  6. suit — clothes
  7. kid — child
  8. current — of water
  9. suit — to fit
  10. firm — a company
  11. root — the cause
  12. current — electric
  13. current — happening now
  14. fall — to drop
  15. file — a document
  16. kid — to tease
  17. root — of a plant
  18. suit — in cards
  19. root — of a word
  20. fall — the season
  21. sharp — clever
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. file — a line of people

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