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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. last — finally
  4. cold — an illness
  5. cue — a hint
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. board — a committee
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. land — ground
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. board — to get on
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. last — final
  16. cold — not warm
  17. land — to come down
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. last — to go on
  21. land — a country
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. cue — for pool
  24. cue — a signal

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