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 116 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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. sharp — clever
  5. wind — moving air
  6. ball — a great time
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. bound — tied together
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. bound — obliged
  14. rest — what's left
  15. board — to get on
  16. wind — moving air
  17. ball — a dance
  18. rest — what's left
  19. bound — certain
  20. board — a committee
  21. rest — a break
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. sharp — exactly

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