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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. court — for sport
  3. rule — government
  4. branch — a division
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. board — to get on
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. court — of a king
  11. track — to keep track
  12. track — a song
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. rule — a law
  15. bore — to tire
  16. court — of law
  17. suit — to fit
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. board — a committee
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. suit — clothes
  22. suit — in cards
  23. track — a path
  24. bore — to drill

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