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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. file — a line of people
  3. board — to get on
  4. board — a committee
  5. cap — of ice
  6. staff — employees
  7. court — for sport
  8. cap — a lid
  9. file — a document
  10. staff — a stick
  11. staff — employees
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. court — of a king
  15. season — in sport
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. court — of law
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. cap — a hat
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. file — a tool
  24. pitcher — a jug

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