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

Word bank: file · toast · bark · mine · board · snap · arm · tube

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. file — a tool
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. file — a line of people
  5. toast — bread
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. mine — for digging
  10. snap — to click
  11. file — a document
  12. board — a committee
  13. board — to get on
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. tube — the underground
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. bark — to shout
  21. tube — a container
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. mine — an explosive

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