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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. board — to get on
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. march — music
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — of a river
  8. march — the month
  9. staff — employees
  10. race — a contest
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. ground — the earth
  13. race — humankind
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. ground — crushed
  16. march — the month
  17. board — a committee
  18. race — the arms race
  19. staff — a stick
  20. bank — for money
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. ground — a position
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. nail — on a finger

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