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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. board — a committee
  3. bound — certain
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. band — a music group
  6. bound — tied together
  7. land — a country
  8. mug — to rob
  9. board — to get on
  10. press — to push
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. press — a publisher
  13. band — a ring
  14. foot — a measure
  15. mug — a cup
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. press — newspapers
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. land — to come down
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. bound — obliged
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. land — ground

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