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: leaves · rush · stick · rest · clip · can · racket · file

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. clip — to cut
  4. can — a tin
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. file — a document
  7. rest — a break
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. file — a line of people
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. can — to be able to
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. can — a tin
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. rush — hurry
  19. file — a tool
  20. clip — a video
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. clip — for paper
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. rest — what's left

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