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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. rash — a series
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. rash — hasty
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. board — a committee
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. board — to get on
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. bear — the animal
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. pitch — completely

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