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 120 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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. board — to get on
  3. can — a tin
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. can — to be able to
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. field — for sport
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. field — a subject
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. spell — a short time
  15. field — farmland
  16. spell — letters
  17. spell — magic
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. deal — to handle
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. can — a tin
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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