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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. roll — a cake
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. board — a committee
  5. board — to get on
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. file — a document
  9. stand — to bear
  10. last — finally
  11. roll — a list
  12. chip — for betting
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. file — a line of people
  16. stock — shares
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. lean — thin
  20. stock — goods
  21. last — to go on
  22. file — a tool
  23. lean — to bend
  24. chip — to eat

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