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: band · file · fine · charge · board · lie · prune · deal

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. file — a document
  3. deal — to handle
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. fine — high quality
  7. prune — to trim
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. charge — electricity
  10. board — to get on
  11. band — a ring
  12. charge — in control
  13. band — a music group
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. prune — to trim
  16. lie — to recline
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. fine — all right
  21. file — a line of people
  22. file — a tool
  23. board — a committee
  24. deal — a big deal

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