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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. cold — an illness
  5. bound — tied together
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. plane — a tool
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. lean — to bend
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. bound — certain
  17. lean — thin
  18. deal — to handle
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. board — a committee
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. cold — not warm
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. bound — obliged

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