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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. board — to get on
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. pound — a weight
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. board — a committee
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. vault — a safe
  11. fork — in a road
  12. press — to push
  13. press — a publisher
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. pass — a permit
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. press — newspapers
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. wind — moving air
  24. wind — moving air

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