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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. key — in music
  4. foot — a measure
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. bank — of a river
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. fall — to drop
  11. fall — the season
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. fall — to drop
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. bank — for money
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. key — for a lock
  19. bank — for money
  20. key — the most important part
  21. board — to get on
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. board — a committee
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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