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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. bass — low music
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. board — to get on
  5. stock — goods
  6. stock — shares
  7. board — a committee
  8. charge — electricity
  9. hand — in cards
  10. hand — help
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. charge — a price
  18. charge — in control
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. tear — to rip
  21. tear — from crying
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. bass — the fish
  24. safe — out of danger

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