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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. wound — an injury
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. foot — a measure
  6. cell — in biology
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. present — the time now
  12. wound — an injury
  13. present — there
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. board — to get on
  16. hand — help
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. board — a committee
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. hand — in cards
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. present — a gift

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