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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bank — for money
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. drill — army training
  7. board — a committee
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. bank — for money
  12. saw — the tool
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. ground — crushed
  15. vault — a safe
  16. ground — the earth
  17. board — to get on
  18. drill — the tool
  19. saw — the tool
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. drill — a practice
  22. bank — of a river
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. ground — a position

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