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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. saw — the tool
  4. stock — goods
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. club — for golf
  7. club — a group
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. rash — a series
  12. saw — the tool
  13. fall — to drop
  14. rash — hasty
  15. stock — shares
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. board — to get on
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. plane — a tool
  20. fall — the season
  21. rock — music
  22. fall — to drop
  23. rock — a stone
  24. board — a committee

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