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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. capital — a city
  4. net — for catching
  5. board — to get on
  6. net — in sport
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. net — after costs
  9. firm — steady
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. bat — the animal
  12. vault — a safe
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. firm — a company
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. capital — money
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. firm — decided
  23. stand — to bear
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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