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: net · lie · wave · file · chip · snap · cabinet · prune

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. net — for catching
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. net — in sport
  6. prune — to trim
  7. file — a document
  8. lie — to recline
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. file — a line of people
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. net — after costs
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. snap — to click
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. chip — to eat
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. file — a tool
  23. prune — to trim
  24. chip — for betting

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