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: charge · spring · board · jam · file · face · mark · rush

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. charge — in control
  4. rush — hurry
  5. charge — a price
  6. face — part of the head
  7. face — to confront
  8. face — to point toward
  9. board — a committee
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. mark — a grade
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. charge — electricity
  17. board — to get on
  18. file — a line of people
  19. spring — the season
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. file — a document
  22. spring — of water
  23. mark — a trace
  24. file — a tool

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