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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. file — a document
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. board — to get on
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. date — the fruit
  15. file — a tool
  16. file — a line of people
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. board — a committee

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