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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. board — a committee
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. mark — a trace
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. bank — for money
  10. net — for catching
  11. board — to get on
  12. net — in sport
  13. bank — of a river
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. dip — to sink
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. mark — a grade
  22. net — after costs
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. bank — for money

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