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's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. object — an aim
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. object — a thing
  5. board — a committee
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. cue — a signal
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. cue — a hint
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. ball — a dance
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. object — to protest
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. board — to get on
  22. ball — a great time
  23. cue — for pool
  24. kick — in football

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