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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. object — an aim
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. board — a committee
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. rash — a series
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. fine — all right
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. object — a thing
  12. plane — a tool
  13. object — to protest
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. rash — hasty
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. fine — high quality
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. board — to get on

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