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: march · row · fan · file · cap · fork · charge · bass

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. file — a line of people
  3. file — a tool
  4. charge — a price
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. row — to paddle
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. bass — low music
  11. row — a line
  12. march — the month
  13. march — the month
  14. fork — in a road
  15. cap — of ice
  16. march — music
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. charge — electricity
  19. bass — the fish
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. file — a document
  23. cap — a hat
  24. charge — in control

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