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: tube · board · coach · arm · suit · current · capital · race

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. suit — to fit
  4. suit — in cards
  5. current — happening now
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. race — a contest
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. board — a committee
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. capital — money
  14. capital — a city
  15. board — to get on
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. tube — a container
  18. current — electric
  19. current — of water
  20. suit — clothes
  21. tube — the underground
  22. race — humankind
  23. race — the arms race
  24. arm — part of the body

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