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: stick · clip · rush · lie · suit · file · chip · scale

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. file — a document
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. file — a tool
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. chip — for betting
  8. clip — a video
  9. scale — size or range
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. file — a line of people
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. clip — for paper
  14. clip — to cut
  15. suit — to fit
  16. lie — to recline
  17. rush — hurry
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. chip — to eat
  20. scale — in music
  21. suit — in cards
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. suit — clothes
  24. lie — an untruth

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