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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. staff — employees
  4. rule — government
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. rule — a law
  7. tube — a container
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. wake — a trail
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. staff — employees
  13. pitch — completely
  14. board — to get on
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. ball — a dance
  19. tube — the underground
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. ball — a great time
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. board — a committee
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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