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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. board — a committee
  3. cap — of ice
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. board — to get on
  6. cap — a lid
  7. march — the month
  8. content — happy
  9. firm — a company
  10. root — the cause
  11. firm — steady
  12. march — the month
  13. ball — a dance
  14. march — music
  15. root — of a plant
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. ball — a great time
  18. cap — a hat
  19. content — the amount
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. firm — decided
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. root — of a word

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