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 · roll · fan · board · hide · tube · file · bank

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. roll — a list
  3. file — a document
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. tube — a container
  6. bank — for money
  7. file — a line of people
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. board — a committee
  14. bank — for money
  15. tube — the underground
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bank — of a river
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. file — a tool
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. lie — to recline
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. roll — a cake

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