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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. bank — for money
  3. chair — a leader
  4. bank — of a river
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. board — to get on
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. bank — for money
  11. ground — crushed
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. dip — to sink
  14. game — wild animals
  15. deal — to handle
  16. ground — a position
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. ground — the earth
  21. mine — for digging
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. game — a match

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