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: chip · band · lie · fan · fine · lean · arm · cabinet

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. lie — to recline
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lean — thin
  7. chip — for betting
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. chip — to eat
  10. fine — high quality
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. band — a music group
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. fine — all right
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. band — a ring
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. lean — to bend
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. cabinet — ministers

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