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 · cap · prune · charge · stand · wake · season

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. file — a line of people
  5. season — of the year
  6. file — a document
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. cap — of ice
  9. suit — to fit
  10. suit — in cards
  11. cap — a hat
  12. prune — to trim
  13. charge — a price
  14. suit — clothes
  15. wake — a trail
  16. charge — electricity
  17. stand — to bear
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. prune — to trim
  20. charge — in control
  21. file — a tool
  22. cap — a lid
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. season — in sport

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