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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. lie — to recline
  3. object — to protest
  4. net — for catching
  5. swing — in golf
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. board — to get on
  8. key — the most important part
  9. rash — hasty
  10. key — in music
  11. board — a committee
  12. net — in sport
  13. key — for a lock
  14. swing — music
  15. rash — a series
  16. mine — for digging
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. object — a thing
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. swing — to play on
  22. net — after costs
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. rash — on the skin

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