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: fan · cabinet · board · bulb · stem · vault · chair · game

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. chair — a leader
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. stem — to come from
  6. vault — a safe
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. bulb — for light
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. game — a match
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. bulb — for light
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. game — wild animals
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. board — a committee
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. board — to get on
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. bulb — of a plant

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