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 ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. can — a tin
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. pass — a permit
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. board — to get on
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. chair — a leader
  10. board — a committee
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. bark — to shout
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — to be able to
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. cell — in biology
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. cell — a phone

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