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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. land — to come down
  4. object — an aim
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. object — to protest
  8. pop — soda
  9. land — a country
  10. toast — bread
  11. craft — a skill
  12. pop — to visit
  13. pop — music
  14. object — a thing
  15. track — a path
  16. craft — boats
  17. board — to get on
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. track — a song
  21. track — to keep track
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. board — a committee
  24. land — ground

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