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 partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. present — there
  3. pass — a permit
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. current — happening now
  6. current — electric
  7. branch — a division
  8. key — for a lock
  9. rest — what's left
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. sharp — clever
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. current — of water
  14. key — the most important part
  15. present — the time now
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. rest — what's left
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. rest — a break
  21. board — a committee
  22. board — to get on
  23. present — a gift
  24. key — in music

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