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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. fall — to drop
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. fall — the season
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. board — to get on
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. fall — to drop
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. chest — of your body
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. chest — of your body
  14. board — a committee
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. chest — a box
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. roll — a list

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