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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. board — to get on
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. current — of water
  5. file — a tool
  6. current — happening now
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. mate — to breed
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. court — of a king
  12. mate — a partner
  13. board — a committee
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. file — a document
  16. file — a line of people
  17. plane — a tool
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. bear — the animal
  20. current — electric
  21. court — for sport
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. bear — the animal
  24. mate — a friend

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