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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. board — to get on
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. mine — for digging
  7. chest — a box
  8. file — a line of people
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — to recline
  11. chest — of your body
  12. roll — a cake
  13. chest — of your body
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. board — a committee
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. vault — a safe
  19. roll — a list
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. file — a tool
  22. file — a document
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. mouse — the animal

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