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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. file — a tool
  5. board — to get on
  6. swing — in golf
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. root — of a word
  10. file — a line of people
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. deal — to handle
  13. file — a document
  14. swing — to play on
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. firm — a company
  17. season — of the year
  18. swing — music
  19. firm — decided
  20. root — the cause
  21. root — of a plant
  22. board — a committee
  23. season — in sport
  24. cabinet — ministers

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