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: bat · fork · board · chair · current · deal · press · calf

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. current — of water
  3. current — electric
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. current — happening now
  7. fork — in a road
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. board — a committee
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. press — a publisher
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. press — to push
  17. board — to get on
  18. bat — the animal
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. chair — a leader
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. press — newspapers
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. calf — a young animal

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