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 116 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: plane · current · file · season · cap · stem · bulb · fine

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. file — a document
  4. bulb — for light
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. plane — a tool
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bulb — for light
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. file — a tool
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. fine — all right
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. cap — of ice
  15. season — in sport
  16. season — of the year
  17. cap — a lid
  18. fine — high quality
  19. current — of water
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. stem — to come from
  22. current — electric
  23. current — happening now
  24. cap — a hat

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