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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bound — obliged
  3. bound — certain
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. file — a document
  6. bound — tied together
  7. board — a committee
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. band — a music group
  16. board — to get on
  17. snap — to click
  18. file — a tool
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. squash — the sport
  21. band — a ring
  22. squash — to crush
  23. lie — to recline
  24. file — a line of people

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