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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: file · hide · chip · net · can · board

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. can — a tin
  4. file — a tool
  5. board — to get on
  6. chip — for betting
  7. can — a tin
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. board — a committee
  10. file — a document
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. chip — to eat
  13. net — after costs
  14. net — for catching
  15. file — a line of people
  16. net — in sport
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. can — to be able to

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