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: board · suit · craft · lie · file · bulb · land · hide

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. craft — boats
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. suit — to fit
  6. land — ground
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. suit — in cards
  11. suit — clothes
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. file — a tool
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. file — a line of people
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. land — to come down
  18. board — to get on
  19. lie — to recline
  20. board — a committee
  21. bulb — for light
  22. land — a country
  23. bulb — for light
  24. craft — a skill

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