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: fan · board · deal · wind · staff · nail · club · mug

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. staff — a stick
  3. wind — moving air
  4. club — a group
  5. board — a committee
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. deal — to handle
  8. staff — employees
  9. mug — to rob
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. board — to get on
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. club — for dancing
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. mug — a cup
  19. wind — moving air
  20. mug — a face
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. club — for golf
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. deal — an agreement

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