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 124 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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. current — of water
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. current — happening now
  7. land — to come down
  8. branch — a division
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. board — a committee
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. land — a country
  13. cue — for pool
  14. land — ground
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. plane — a tool
  17. bat — the animal
  18. current — electric
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. cue — a signal
  24. cue — a hint

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