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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. hand — in cards
  3. spring — a coil
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. board — to get on
  8. stand — to bear
  9. spring — the season
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. board — a committee
  15. saw — the tool
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. saw — the tool
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. spring — of water
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. temple — a place of worship

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