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: chip · board · march · bear · patient · trunk · lie · roll

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. march — the month
  4. march — music
  5. bear — the animal
  6. board — a committee
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. chip — to eat
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. bear — the animal
  15. lie — to recline
  16. chip — for betting
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. board — to get on
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. roll — a cake
  24. roll — a list

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