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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. land — ground
  3. land — to come down
  4. band — a music group
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. stand — to bear
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. game — a match
  11. game — wild animals
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. bound — obliged
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. board — to get on
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. land — a country
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. board — a committee
  22. bound — certain
  23. band — a ring
  24. bound — tied together

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