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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. foot — a measure
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. ball — a great time
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. rule — government
  8. root — of a plant
  9. board — a committee
  10. chair — a leader
  11. bass — low music
  12. root — the cause
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. bass — the fish
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. rule — a law
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. squash — to crush
  19. ball — a dance
  20. squash — the sport
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. root — of a word

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