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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. stand — to bear
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. board — a committee
  6. content — happy
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. can — a tin
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. content — the amount
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. deal — to handle
  15. can — to be able to
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. court — for sport
  18. board — to get on
  19. court — of a king
  20. can — a tin
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. court — of law
  24. nail — for a hammer

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