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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. drill — the tool
  3. pop — soda
  4. file — a document
  5. wound — an injury
  6. chip — to eat
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. chip — for betting
  10. drill — a practice
  11. board — to get on
  12. plane — a tool
  13. drill — army training
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. board — a committee
  17. file — a tool
  18. pop — music
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. wound — an injury
  21. file — a line of people
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. pop — to visit
  24. plane — in geometry

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