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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. board — to get on
  3. cue — for pool
  4. rock — a stone
  5. wind — moving air
  6. capital — a city
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. wind — moving air
  9. present — a gift
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. cue — a signal
  13. fine — high quality
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. capital — money
  16. fine — all right
  17. board — a committee
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. rock — music
  20. present — there
  21. cue — a hint
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. present — the time now

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