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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. firm — steady
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. firm — a company
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. fine — all right
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. land — a country
  12. land — ground
  13. stock — goods
  14. stock — shares
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. board — to get on
  17. firm — decided
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. fine — high quality
  22. land — to come down
  23. dip — to sink
  24. trunk — of a tree

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