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: staff · plane · file · field · root · foot · charge · dip

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. file — a line of people
  3. file — a tool
  4. root — the cause
  5. charge — a price
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. root — of a plant
  8. field — farmland
  9. field — a subject
  10. field — for sport
  11. root — of a word
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. plane — a tool
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. staff — employees
  17. foot — a measure
  18. charge — in control
  19. staff — employees
  20. file — a document
  21. staff — a stick
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. dip — to sink
  24. plane — in geometry

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