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 116 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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. spring — the season
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. current — of water
  5. rash — a series
  6. spring — of water
  7. staff — employees
  8. board — to get on
  9. shower — rain
  10. rash — hasty
  11. staff — a stick
  12. pass — a permit
  13. staff — employees
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. current — electric
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. game — wild animals
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. shower — to wash
  21. board — a committee
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. current — happening now
  24. game — a match

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