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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. current — happening now
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. board — a committee
  5. current — electric
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. last — final
  9. key — for a lock
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. current — of water
  12. last — to go on
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. bass — low music
  15. board — to get on
  16. plane — a tool
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. last — finally
  19. bass — the fish
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. key — the most important part

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