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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. object — an aim
  3. object — a thing
  4. mug — to rob
  5. stock — goods
  6. bass — low music
  7. object — to protest
  8. mug — a face
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. spring — a coil
  12. tube — the underground
  13. pit — in a race
  14. bass — the fish
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. mug — a cup
  17. stock — shares
  18. spring — of water
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. tube — a container
  21. spring — the season
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. pit — a hole
  24. board — a committee

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