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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. board — a committee
  4. march — the month
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. wound — an injury
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. charge — in control
  10. present — the time now
  11. march — music
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. present — there
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. charge — a price
  16. present — a gift
  17. march — the month
  18. board — to get on
  19. charge — electricity
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. wound — an injury
  23. date — the fruit
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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