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 116 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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. swing — in golf
  3. swing — to play on
  4. cell — in biology
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. spring — the season
  7. spring — a coil
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. board — a committee
  10. spring — of water
  11. file — a document
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. file — a tool
  14. swing — music
  15. squash — to crush
  16. board — to get on
  17. stand — to bear
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. squash — the sport
  21. cell — a phone
  22. file — a line of people
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. nail — on a finger

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