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 120 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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. capital — a city
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. board — a committee
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. capital — money
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. current — of water
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. current — electric
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. mate — a partner
  16. pound — a weight
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. mate — a friend
  21. current — happening now
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. mate — to breed
  24. capital — a big letter

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