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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. board — to get on
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. board — a committee
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. court — of law
  13. bat — the animal
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. pitch — completely
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. court — for sport
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. court — of a king

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