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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  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. lie — to recline
  2. board — a committee
  3. file — a document
  4. march — music
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. board — to get on
  7. prune — to trim
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. prune — to trim
  12. wound — an injury
  13. march — the month
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. wound — an injury
  16. file — a line of people
  17. file — a tool
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. chip — for betting
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. march — the month
  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