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 120 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: charge · mouse · file · cap · firm · swing · perch · rash

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. cap — a hat
  3. charge — in control
  4. firm — decided
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. swing — in golf
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. rash — hasty
  10. firm — steady
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. file — a tool
  13. charge — electricity
  14. firm — a company
  15. cap — a lid
  16. perch — the fish
  17. file — a line of people
  18. rash — a series
  19. cap — of ice
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. swing — to play on
  22. swing — music
  23. charge — a price
  24. perch — for a bird

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