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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. land — a country
  3. bulb — for light
  4. board — to get on
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. land — ground
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. bank — of a river
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. board — a committee
  14. land — to come down
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bat — the animal
  17. firm — decided
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. bank — for money
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lie — to recline
  22. firm — a company
  23. bank — for money
  24. bulb — for light

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