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: bay · file · rest · staff · charge · leaves · rash · mine

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. rash — hasty
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. charge — electricity
  7. staff — employees
  8. rest — a break
  9. file — a document
  10. rash — a series
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. charge — a price
  14. rest — what's left
  15. file — a tool
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. file — a line of people
  19. charge — in control
  20. rest — what's left
  21. staff — a stick
  22. mine — for digging
  23. staff — employees
  24. leaves — lets stay

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