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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. fine — all right
  3. firm — steady
  4. bulb — for light
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. bulb — for light
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. firm — decided
  9. season — of the year
  10. season — in sport
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. fine — high quality
  14. rock — a stone
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. board — to get on
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. firm — a company
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. rock — music
  24. board — a committee

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