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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. board — a committee
  5. bound — certain
  6. suit — clothes
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. scale — in music
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. vault — a safe
  13. bound — tied together
  14. scale — size or range
  15. pitch — completely
  16. bound — obliged
  17. board — to get on
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. suit — to fit
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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