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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. board — a committee
  3. bass — the fish
  4. board — to get on
  5. bound — obliged
  6. spring — the season
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. bound — tied together
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. bass — low music
  15. bound — certain
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. game — a match
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. game — wild animals
  21. spring — a coil
  22. spring — of water
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. leaves — lets stay

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