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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. toast — bread
  3. spell — a short time
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. board — a committee
  6. mine — for digging
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. board — to get on
  10. spell — letters
  11. spell — magic
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. root — the cause
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. root — of a word
  19. root — of a plant
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. patient — a sick person

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