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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. bulb — for light
  3. current — of water
  4. last — to go on
  5. cap — a lid
  6. cap — of ice
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. current — electric
  10. current — happening now
  11. roll — a list
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. cap — a hat
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. last — final
  16. dip — to sink
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. last — finally
  19. roll — a cake
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. bulb — for light
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. board — a committee

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