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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. track — a path
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. tube — the underground
  9. board — a committee
  10. track — to keep track
  11. net — after costs
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. net — for catching
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. net — in sport
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. tube — a container
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. track — a song
  24. tube — in a tire

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