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: charge · pound · racket · leaves · file · present · fine · fall

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. fall — the season
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. present — the time now
  6. fine — high quality
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. charge — electricity
  10. file — a line of people
  11. fall — to drop
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. pound — a weight
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. charge — a price
  17. file — a tool
  18. file — a document
  19. present — there
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. present — a gift
  22. fine — all right
  23. charge — in control
  24. racket — for tennis

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