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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. toast — bread
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. board — to get on
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. rule — a law
  7. board — a committee
  8. swing — in golf
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. rash — a series
  11. swing — music
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. rash — hasty
  14. plane — a tool
  15. rule — government
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. field — a subject
  18. key — for a lock
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. key — in music
  21. swing — to play on
  22. field — for sport
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. key — the most important part

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