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 · content · spring · fall · foot · bulb · face · file

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. bulb — for light
  3. spring — the season
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. face — to confront
  6. content — the amount
  7. face — to point toward
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. foot — a measure
  11. bulb — for light
  12. face — part of the head
  13. fall — the season
  14. fall — to drop
  15. file — a line of people
  16. spring — of water
  17. file — a tool
  18. file — a document
  19. content — happy
  20. spring — a coil
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. charge — electricity
  23. fall — to drop
  24. charge — a price

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