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 got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. object — a thing
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. ground — crushed
  5. fine — high quality
  6. bound — obliged
  7. ground — the earth
  8. ground — a position
  9. board — to get on
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. fine — all right
  12. bound — certain
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. branch — a division
  16. bound — tied together
  17. row — to paddle
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. object — an aim
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. board — a committee
  22. row — a line
  23. object — to protest
  24. branch — of a tree

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