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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  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. key — in music
  2. staff — a stick
  3. ball — a dance
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. stock — shares
  8. face — to point toward
  9. key — for a lock
  10. staff — employees
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. ball — a great time
  13. board — to get on
  14. stock — goods
  15. key — the most important part
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. face — to confront
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. face — part of the head
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. staff — employees
  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