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 116 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: fan · cell · chip · straw · perch · file · stem · rush

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. file — a tool
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. chip — to eat
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. stem — to come from
  9. rush — hurry
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. cell — in biology
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. cell — a phone
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. perch — the fish
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. chip — for betting
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. file — a document
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. perch — for a bird

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