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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. chest — of your body
  3. chest — a box
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. charge — in control
  6. cue — a signal
  7. cue — for pool
  8. bat — the animal
  9. chest — of your body
  10. date — the fruit
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. board — to get on
  20. charge — electricity
  21. charge — a price
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. cue — a hint
  24. date — on the calendar

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