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 · fine · suit · bat · cap · charge · key · kid

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. fine — high quality
  3. cap — of ice
  4. key — in music
  5. bat — the animal
  6. file — a document
  7. file — a line of people
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. suit — to fit
  10. key — the most important part
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. charge — electricity
  13. charge — in control
  14. suit — in cards
  15. kid — child
  16. cap — a hat
  17. suit — clothes
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. key — for a lock
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. cap — a lid
  22. kid — to tease
  23. file — a tool
  24. fine — all right

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