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: charge · staff · march · jam · lie · track · pass · file

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. staff — employees
  3. staff — a stick
  4. pass — a permit
  5. track — a path
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. file — a line of people
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. march — music
  14. march — the month
  15. track — a song
  16. charge — a price
  17. lie — to recline
  18. charge — in control
  19. file — a document
  20. charge — electricity
  21. track — to keep track
  22. march — the month
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. file — a tool

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