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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mine · hand · fork · kick · current · board

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. fork — in a road
  4. hand — help
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. hand — in cards
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. board — a committee
  12. mine — for digging
  13. kick — in football
  14. current — electric
  15. board — to get on
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. current — of water
  18. current — happening now

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