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 120 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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. file — a tool
  4. prune — to trim
  5. chip — for betting
  6. chip — to eat
  7. lean — to bend
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. face — to point toward
  10. face — part of the head
  11. kick — in football
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. rash — hasty
  14. prune — to trim
  15. can — a tin
  16. rash — a series
  17. can — to be able to
  18. file — a line of people
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. face — to confront
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. lean — thin
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. file — a document

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