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 120 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: object · charge · fork · can · tear · file · rule · perch

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. can — a tin
  3. rule — a law
  4. object — a thing
  5. rule — government
  6. object — to protest
  7. tear — from crying
  8. charge — in control
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. perch — the fish
  11. fork — in a road
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. can — to be able to
  14. file — a document
  15. tear — to rip
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. can — a tin
  18. charge — electricity
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. file — a tool
  21. tear — from crying
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. object — an aim
  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