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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  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. stick — a piece of wood
  2. lie — to recline
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — to be able to
  5. board — a committee
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. file — a line of people
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. file — a tool
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. chip — for betting
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. board — to get on
  17. chip — to eat
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. can — a tin
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. pound — a weight
  23. pound — for dogs
  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