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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. bear — the animal
  3. board — a committee
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bear — the animal
  8. mine — for digging
  9. hand — in cards
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. board — to get on
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. fine — all right
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. bulb — for light
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. hand — help
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. fine — high quality

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