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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. kick — in football
  3. pit — in a race
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. chair — a leader
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. hand — help
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. plane — a tool
  13. board — to get on
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. hand — in cards
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. board — a committee
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. pit — a hole

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