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 120 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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. ball — a dance
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. game — wild animals
  5. band — a ring
  6. chest — a box
  7. game — a match
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. band — a music group
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. ball — a great time
  12. firm — steady
  13. firm — decided
  14. bore — to tire
  15. board — a committee
  16. chest — of your body
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. board — to get on
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. chest — of your body
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. bore — to drill

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