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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. chest — a box
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. can — a tin
  8. pitch — completely
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. can — to be able to
  11. deal — to handle
  12. branch — a division
  13. chest — of your body
  14. row — to paddle
  15. snap — to click
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. can — a tin
  21. chest — of your body
  22. row — a line
  23. board — to get on
  24. board — a committee

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