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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. file — a tool
  3. suit — to fit
  4. board — to get on
  5. staff — a stick
  6. pit — in a race
  7. net — after costs
  8. capital — money
  9. net — in sport
  10. ball — a dance
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. file — a line of people
  13. file — a document
  14. ball — a great time
  15. board — a committee
  16. pit — a hole
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. staff — employees
  19. suit — clothes
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. staff — employees
  22. suit — in cards
  23. capital — a city
  24. board — a flat piece

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