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 116 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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. net — for catching
  4. net — after costs
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. charge — in control
  8. board — a committee
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. spring — of water
  12. spring — the season
  13. spring — a coil
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. charge — electricity
  16. board — to get on
  17. charge — a price
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. fork — in a road
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. net — in sport
  24. fork — a garden tool

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