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: row · clip · toast · kid · charge · hide · file · root

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. charge — electricity
  3. row — to paddle
  4. row — a line
  5. file — a line of people
  6. charge — a price
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. file — a document
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. toast — bread
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. charge — in control
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. root — of a word
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. kid — child
  18. file — a tool
  19. root — of a plant
  20. clip — for paper
  21. clip — a video
  22. kid — to tease
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. clip — to cut

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