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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. board — to get on
  3. bat — the animal
  4. bank — of a river
  5. file — a tool
  6. chip — for betting
  7. kid — child
  8. stand — to bear
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. file — a document
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. file — a line of people
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. bank — for money
  16. board — a committee
  17. bank — for money
  18. lean — to bend
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. chip — to eat
  21. kid — to tease
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. lean — thin

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