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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. board — to get on
  4. wound — an injury
  5. staff — employees
  6. staff — a stick
  7. ground — a position
  8. fall — to drop
  9. fall — the season
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. chip — for betting
  12. key — in music
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. key — the most important part
  15. ground — crushed
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. key — for a lock
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. plane — a tool
  20. ground — the earth
  21. wound — an injury
  22. fall — to drop
  23. board — a committee
  24. chip — to eat

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