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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. cap — a lid
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. lean — thin
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. chip — for betting
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. board — to get on
  12. perch — the fish
  13. cap — a hat
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. cap — of ice
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. band — a ring
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. chip — to eat
  23. board — a committee
  24. band — a music group

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