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: rest · firm · band · plane · board · charge · mug · race

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. board — to get on
  3. firm — steady
  4. rest — a break
  5. mug — a face
  6. rest — what's left
  7. race — a contest
  8. charge — electricity
  9. band — a music group
  10. band — a ring
  11. mug — to rob
  12. charge — a price
  13. plane — a tool
  14. mug — a cup
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. board — a committee
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. race — humankind
  19. charge — in control
  20. race — the arms race
  21. rest — what's left
  22. firm — a company
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. firm — decided

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