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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. wake — a trail
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. chip — for betting
  6. hand — help
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. chip — to eat
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. hand — in cards
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. board — to get on
  20. suit — in cards
  21. suit — to fit
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. suit — clothes
  24. chip — in a computer

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