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 the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. board — to get on
  3. rash — a series
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. bulb — for light
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. board — a committee
  8. squash — to crush
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bulb — for light
  12. rash — hasty
  13. bark — to shout
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. land — to come down
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. squash — the sport
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. land — a country
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. chair — a leader
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. chair — to sit on

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