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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. firm — a company
  3. band — a music group
  4. present — the time now
  5. firm — decided
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. board — to get on
  9. land — ground
  10. firm — steady
  11. present — there
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. fall — to drop
  14. present — a gift
  15. wake — a trail
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. land — to come down
  18. band — a ring
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. board — a committee
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. fall — to drop
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. land — a country

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