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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. file — a tool
  4. board — to get on
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bass — low music
  7. row — a line
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. saw — the tool
  10. row — to paddle
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. file — a document
  13. board — a committee
  14. file — a line of people
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. perch — the fish
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. saw — the tool
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bass — the fish
  24. season — of the year

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