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

Word bank: bound · fan · cabinet · board · wave · tube · ruler · bank

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. bound — certain
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. bank — for money
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. board — to get on
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. bank — of a river
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. bound — obliged
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. bank — for money
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. tube — a container
  22. tube — the underground
  23. bound — tied together
  24. board — a committee

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