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 · can · stand · land · current · plane · cue · mine

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. can — to be able to
  3. mine — for digging
  4. can — a tin
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. current — electric
  7. can — a tin
  8. stand — to bear
  9. file — a tool
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. cue — for pool
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. current — happening now
  15. cue — a signal
  16. plane — a tool
  17. cue — a hint
  18. current — of water
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. land — to come down
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. land — ground
  23. land — a country
  24. file — a line of people

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