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 120 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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. lean — thin
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. chest — a box
  6. wind — moving air
  7. board — to get on
  8. lean — to bend
  9. wind — moving air
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. clip — for paper
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. chest — of your body
  18. chest — of your body
  19. clip — to cut
  20. board — a committee
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. clip — a video
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. ruler — a monarch

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