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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. fall — to drop
  3. branch — a division
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. fall — to drop
  6. clip — a video
  7. key — in music
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. board — to get on
  10. key — the most important part
  11. clip — to cut
  12. fine — all right
  13. object — an aim
  14. key — for a lock
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. fine — high quality
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. fall — the season
  21. clip — for paper
  22. object — to protest
  23. object — a thing
  24. branch — of a bank

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