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: mark · file · lie · spring · net · rush · stand · rash

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. rash — hasty
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. spring — of water
  5. file — a document
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. net — after costs
  9. mark — a grade
  10. file — a tool
  11. lie — to recline
  12. rash — a series
  13. spring — a coil
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. net — in sport
  16. file — a line of people
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. rush — hurry
  20. spring — the season
  21. mark — a trace
  22. stand — to bear
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. lie — an untruth

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