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: tube · craft · fall · board · mug · bear · rush · cabinet

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. tube — a container
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. craft — a skill
  7. mug — to rob
  8. board — to get on
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. fall — to drop
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bear — the animal
  14. mug — a face
  15. mug — a cup
  16. rush — hurry
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. tube — the underground
  20. fall — the season
  21. fall — to drop
  22. craft — boats
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. bear — to put up with

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