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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. suit — to fit
  3. mine — for digging
  4. board — to get on
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. face — to confront
  7. court — of a king
  8. face — to point toward
  9. face — part of the head
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. suit — in cards
  14. snap — to click
  15. court — of law
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. board — a committee
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. suit — clothes
  20. chair — a leader
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. court — for sport
  24. nail — for a hammer

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