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: shower · board · court · branch · plane · file · present · pit

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. board — to get on
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. court — of a king
  5. court — for sport
  6. pit — in a race
  7. file — a line of people
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. present — the time now
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. plane — a tool
  13. present — there
  14. pit — a hole
  15. court — of law
  16. present — a gift
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. board — a committee
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. branch — a division
  22. shower — rain
  23. file — a tool
  24. shower — to wash

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