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: shower · key · charge · jam · ruler · kick · file · track

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. track — to keep track
  3. key — in music
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. charge — electricity
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. kick — in football
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. shower — rain
  10. charge — in control
  11. file — a document
  12. shower — to wash
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. file — a tool
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. key — the most important part
  19. file — a line of people
  20. key — for a lock
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. track — a song
  24. track — a path

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