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: bowl · mouse · cap · rest · key · board · cabinet · swing

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. rest — a break
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. swing — music
  6. swing — to play on
  7. cap — of ice
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. rest — what's left
  12. board — a committee
  13. swing — in golf
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. key — the most important part
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. key — for a lock
  20. cap — a lid
  21. rest — what's left
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cap — a hat
  24. key — in music

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