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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. chip — to eat
  4. cue — a hint
  5. lie — to recline
  6. file — a document
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. pop — soda
  9. fork — in a road
  10. pop — to visit
  11. file — a tool
  12. root — of a word
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. lean — thin
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. cue — for pool
  17. chip — for betting
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. root — of a plant
  20. file — a line of people
  21. pop — music
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. root — the cause
  24. lean — to bend

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