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 120 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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. bank — of a river
  3. chair — a leader
  4. hand — help
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. bear — the animal
  7. field — a subject
  8. bank — for money
  9. saw — the tool
  10. field — for sport
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. field — farmland
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. saw — the tool
  18. board — a committee
  19. bank — for money
  20. hand — in cards
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. bear — the animal

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