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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. row — to paddle
  3. pop — soda
  4. wind — moving air
  5. board — to get on
  6. charge — in control
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. wind — moving air
  9. board — a committee
  10. pop — music
  11. cold — an illness
  12. can — to be able to
  13. row — a line
  14. cold — not warm
  15. pop — to visit
  16. can — a tin
  17. charge — a price
  18. can — a tin
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. charge — electricity
  22. cold — the Cold War
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. row — a quarrel

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