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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. board — to get on
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. band — a music group
  6. stand — to bear
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. band — a ring
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. drill — a practice
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. court — of a king
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. mine — for digging
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. drill — army training
  21. board — a committee
  22. court — of law
  23. court — for sport
  24. mine — belonging to me

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