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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. ground — the earth
  4. stand — to bear
  5. ground — a position
  6. last — finally
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bound — certain
  9. branch — a division
  10. bound — tied together
  11. last — final
  12. file — a document
  13. bound — obliged
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. file — a line of people
  16. bear — the animal
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. ground — crushed
  19. file — a tool
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. last — to go on
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. board — a committee
  24. branch — of a bank

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