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'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. board — to get on
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. firm — decided
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. staff — employees
  12. firm — a company
  13. plane — a tool
  14. staff — employees
  15. firm — steady
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. lie — to recline
  21. staff — a stick
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. prune — to trim
  24. prune — to trim

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