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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. spring — a coil
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. row — a line
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. staff — employees
  8. spring — of water
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. staff — a stick
  14. cell — a phone
  15. spring — the season
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. row — to paddle
  19. board — to get on
  20. staff — employees
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. board — a committee
  24. cell — in biology

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