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: cabinet · cap · current · bear · pit · swing · board · row

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. board — to get on
  4. bear — the animal
  5. row — a line
  6. bear — the animal
  7. pit — a hole
  8. current — happening now
  9. swing — music
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. swing — in golf
  13. cap — of ice
  14. cap — a hat
  15. swing — to play on
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. cap — a lid
  19. current — of water
  20. current — electric
  21. board — a committee
  22. row — to paddle
  23. pit — in a race
  24. cabinet — ministers

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