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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. swing — to play on
  3. object — a thing
  4. staff — employees
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. swing — music
  9. season — of the year
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. bulb — for light
  12. season — in sport
  13. board — to get on
  14. board — a committee
  15. staff — employees
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. chair — a leader
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. bulb — for light
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. swing — in golf
  22. staff — a stick
  23. object — to protest
  24. bulb — of a plant

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