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 116 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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. board — a committee
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stock — goods
  8. key — in music
  9. board — to get on
  10. stock — shares
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. file — a document
  13. prune — to trim
  14. key — the most important part
  15. cap — a lid
  16. prune — to trim
  17. file — a tool
  18. key — for a lock
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. cap — a hat
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. cap — of ice
  24. board — a flat piece

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