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 116 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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. drill — army training
  3. board — a committee
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. spell — letters
  8. net — for catching
  9. drill — the tool
  10. stock — goods
  11. spell — a short time
  12. bear — the animal
  13. deal — to handle
  14. spell — magic
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. board — to get on
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. net — after costs
  19. net — in sport
  20. bear — the animal
  21. drill — a practice
  22. stock — shares
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. deal — a big deal

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