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: row · wind · file · mine · suit · roll · charge · coach

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. roll — a list
  3. suit — clothes
  4. suit — to fit
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. charge — a price
  8. charge — in control
  9. row — to paddle
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. roll — a cake
  14. file — a tool
  15. file — a line of people
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. file — a document
  19. suit — in cards
  20. mine — for digging
  21. charge — electricity
  22. row — a line
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. wind — moving air

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