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: board · rule · game · can · pass · fall · bulb · file

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — to be able to
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. file — a document
  6. rule — government
  7. game — wild animals
  8. file — a tool
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. fall — to drop
  11. pass — a permit
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. can — a tin
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. file — a line of people
  16. bulb — for light
  17. rule — a law
  18. fall — the season
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. game — a match
  21. bulb — for light
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. fall — to drop
  24. board — to get on

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