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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. file — a line of people
  3. rest — what's left
  4. board — a committee
  5. bass — low music
  6. charge — electricity
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. file — a document
  9. rest — a break
  10. chip — to eat
  11. bass — the fish
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. rest — what's left
  15. charge — a price
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. bulb — for light
  18. charge — in control
  19. bulb — for light
  20. wake — a trail
  21. board — to get on
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. file — a tool
  24. chip — for betting

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