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 124 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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. can — to be able to
  4. board — to get on
  5. last — finally
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. firm — steady
  8. fork — in a road
  9. can — a tin
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. stock — shares
  12. last — final
  13. stock — goods
  14. last — to go on
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. firm — a company
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. can — a tin
  24. firm — decided

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