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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. cap — a lid
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. swing — in golf
  5. board — a committee
  6. firm — steady
  7. cap — a hat
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. craft — a skill
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. swing — music
  12. fine — high quality
  13. craft — boats
  14. fine — all right
  15. saw — the tool
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. cap — of ice
  18. firm — a company
  19. firm — decided
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. mine — for digging
  22. board — to get on
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. saw — the tool

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