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: file · spell · mark · content · stem · snap · racket · chip

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. file — a document
  3. content — the amount
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. mark — a trace
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. chip — for betting
  10. spell — a short time
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. file — a line of people
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. file — a tool
  16. snap — to click
  17. spell — magic
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. spell — letters
  20. chip — to eat
  21. stem — to come from
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. content — happy
  24. mark — a grade

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