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: suit · plane · field · pop · current · file · perch · saw

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. suit — to fit
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. suit — clothes
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. pop — to visit
  9. current — of water
  10. file — a document
  11. saw — the tool
  12. field — a subject
  13. current — happening now
  14. suit — in cards
  15. field — for sport
  16. file — a line of people
  17. field — farmland
  18. current — electric
  19. pop — soda
  20. file — a tool
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. saw — the tool
  23. plane — a tool
  24. perch — the fish

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