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: game · board · bay · can · cold · pit · racket · nail

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. game — a match
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. can — to be able to
  5. cold — not warm
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. cold — an illness
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. can — a tin
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. board — to get on
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. pit — in a race
  15. can — a tin
  16. board — a committee
  17. game — wild animals
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. pit — a hole
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. nail — for a hammer

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