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 120 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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. bound — tied together
  3. field — a subject
  4. staff — employees
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. pass — a permit
  8. board — to get on
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bound — obliged
  11. tube — a container
  12. field — farmland
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. board — a committee
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. capital — a city
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. tube — the underground
  20. staff — employees
  21. field — for sport
  22. capital — money
  23. bound — certain
  24. staff — a stick

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