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 · can · clip · stand · pit · cabinet · current · lie

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. clip — a video
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. board — a committee
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. board — to get on
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. current — electric
  9. pit — a hole
  10. current — of water
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. can — a tin
  13. clip — for paper
  14. lie — to recline
  15. clip — to cut
  16. current — happening now
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. can — a tin
  19. pit — in a race
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. can — to be able to
  24. stand — to bear

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