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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. board — a committee
  4. shower — to wash
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. shower — rain
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. club — a group
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. fine — all right
  13. land — ground
  14. pass — a permit
  15. board — to get on
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. land — to come down
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. fine — high quality
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. club — for dancing
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. club — for golf

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