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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. mine — for digging
  6. board — to get on
  7. board — a committee
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. cold — the Cold War
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. court — for sport
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. cold — an illness
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. plane — a tool
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. court — of a king
  22. cold — not warm
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. court — of law

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