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 120 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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. board — a committee
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. net — for catching
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. mine — for digging
  9. net — after costs
  10. board — to get on
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. rush — hurry
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. mine — belonging to me

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