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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. bank — for money
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. bank — of a river
  9. spell — letters
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. bore — to drill
  12. bank — for money
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. cell — a phone
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. board — to get on
  19. spell — a short time
  20. spell — magic
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. bore — to tire
  23. cell — in biology
  24. arm — a part of something

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