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: file · net · suit · lash · charge · present · clip · race

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. clip — a video
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. present — a gift
  5. clip — for paper
  6. charge — in control
  7. file — a tool
  8. present — the time now
  9. present — there
  10. file — a line of people
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. suit — clothes
  13. net — for catching
  14. race — the arms race
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. clip — to cut
  17. suit — in cards
  18. net — in sport
  19. charge — electricity
  20. race — a contest
  21. net — after costs
  22. suit — to fit
  23. file — a document
  24. race — humankind

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