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: key · roll · firm · shower · board · chair · jam · face

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  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. jam — in traffic
  2. firm — decided
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. firm — a company
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. roll — a cake
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. roll — a list
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. board — to get on
  11. face — to confront
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. firm — steady
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. chair — a leader
  17. face — part of the head
  18. face — to point toward
  19. key — in music
  20. shower — rain
  21. board — a committee
  22. key — for a lock
  23. key — the most important part
  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