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'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. rule — a law
  4. spell — magic
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. dip — to sink
  7. object — a thing
  8. cold — not warm
  9. object — to protest
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. spell — a short time
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. object — an aim
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. pitch — completely
  18. cold — an illness
  19. spell — letters
  20. rule — government
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. board — to get on
  24. board — a flat piece

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