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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. charge — in control
  5. board — to get on
  6. board — a committee
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. current — electric
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. pit — a hole
  11. bat — the animal
  12. pit — in a race
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. charge — a price
  16. current — of water
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. mine — for digging
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. charge — electricity
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. current — happening now
  24. bay — a horse colour

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