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 · cue · bay · cell · shower · chest · charge · fine

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. charge — electricity
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. fine — all right
  5. file — a document
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. cue — for pool
  8. cell — a phone
  9. fine — high quality
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. chest — of your body
  12. shower — to wash
  13. file — a tool
  14. cell — in biology
  15. file — a line of people
  16. chest — of your body
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. charge — in control
  19. cue — a hint
  20. cue — a signal
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. charge — a price
  23. shower — rain
  24. chest — a box

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