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: toast · file · suit · rush · fall · current · bay · mine

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. current — of water
  3. suit — in cards
  4. toast — bread
  5. file — a document
  6. file — a tool
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. rush — hurry
  9. suit — clothes
  10. fall — to drop
  11. file — a line of people
  12. suit — to fit
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. fall — to drop
  15. current — electric
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. mine — for digging
  20. fall — the season
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. current — happening now

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