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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. staff — employees
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. staff — employees
  5. board — a committee
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. staff — a stick
  8. tear — to rip
  9. cap — of ice
  10. degree — from a university
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. board — to get on
  15. cap — a lid
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. degree — an amount
  18. cap — a hat
  19. chip — for betting
  20. chip — to eat
  21. degree — temperature
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. tear — from crying
  24. cabinet — ministers

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