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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. kid — child
  3. bulb — for light
  4. key — the most important part
  5. shower — rain
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. key — for a lock
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. firm — decided
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. kid — to tease
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. key — in music
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. firm — a company
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. bulb — for light
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. bat — the animal
  22. board — a committee
  23. firm — steady
  24. shower — to wash

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