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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. branch — a division
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. object — an aim
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. board — a committee
  12. land — ground
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. board — to get on
  15. land — to come down
  16. object — a thing
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. spell — magic
  19. pound — a weight
  20. spell — letters
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. object — to protest
  24. land — a country

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