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: fan · stock · rest · suit · rash · file · rule · roll

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. file — a document
  3. roll — a cake
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. suit — in cards
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. rash — hasty
  9. stock — goods
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. rest — what's left
  12. rest — what's left
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. rest — a break
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. suit — clothes
  17. rash — a series
  18. file — a tool
  19. stock — shares
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. rule — government
  22. file — a line of people
  23. roll — a list
  24. rule — a law

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