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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. board — a committee
  3. pound — a weight
  4. fine — high quality
  5. fine — all right
  6. kick — in football
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. rock — music
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. board — to get on
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. rock — a stone
  24. dip — to sink

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