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: coach · mine · wound · bay · board · stock · charge · last

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. wound — an injury
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. charge — in control
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. wound — an injury
  10. last — to go on
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. charge — a price
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. mine — for digging
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. last — final
  18. stock — goods
  19. board — a committee
  20. stock — shares
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. last — finally
  23. charge — electricity
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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