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: shower · board · arm · chip · march · rule · can · lie

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. march — the month
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. chip — to eat
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. march — the month
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. can — to be able to
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. chip — for betting
  13. board — to get on
  14. shower — rain
  15. can — a tin
  16. march — music
  17. rule — government
  18. lie — to recline
  19. board — a committee
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. shower — to wash
  23. can — a tin
  24. arm — part of the body

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