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: lie · rash · board · file · last · chip · temple · prune

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. last — to go on
  3. last — final
  4. lie — to recline
  5. rash — hasty
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. board — to get on
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. board — a committee
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. file — a tool
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. prune — to trim
  17. file — a line of people
  18. prune — to trim
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. chip — to eat
  21. file — a document
  22. rash — a series
  23. chip — for betting
  24. last — finally

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