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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. board — a committee
  3. current — of water
  4. bulb — for light
  5. rock — music
  6. mug — a face
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. mug — a cup
  9. fine — all right
  10. current — happening now
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. fine — high quality
  13. bulb — for light
  14. mug — to rob
  15. clip — to cut
  16. clip — for paper
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. rock — a stone
  19. current — electric
  20. board — to get on
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. clip — a video
  24. bulb — of a plant

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