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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. current — of water
  4. key — for a lock
  5. wake — a trail
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. key — the most important part
  9. firm — a company
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. chair — a leader
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. current — electric
  15. board — to get on
  16. current — happening now
  17. key — in music
  18. pass — a permit
  19. firm — steady
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. firm — decided
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. board — a committee
  24. bark — to shout

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