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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. drill — army training
  3. net — in sport
  4. firm — decided
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. saw — the tool
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. saw — the tool
  10. drill — a practice
  11. firm — steady
  12. board — to get on
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. net — after costs
  16. net — for catching
  17. drill — the tool
  18. firm — a company

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