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: firm · file · lie · saw · squash · rule · straw · chip

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. rule — government
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. saw — the tool
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. chip — for betting
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. file — a line of people
  10. saw — the tool
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. file — a document
  14. lie — to recline
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. squash — to crush
  17. squash — the sport
  18. file — a tool
  19. firm — decided
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. firm — a company
  22. rule — a law
  23. chip — to eat
  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