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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. object — to protest
  4. object — an aim
  5. mug — a cup
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. track — to keep track
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. board — to get on
  10. object — a thing
  11. mine — for digging
  12. pop — to visit
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. track — a path
  15. bank — of a river
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. pop — soda
  18. pop — music
  19. bank — for money
  20. mug — a face
  21. sharp — clever
  22. track — a song
  23. board — a committee
  24. bank — for money

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