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: game · firm · rest · swing · mine · perch · board · cabinet

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. game — a match
  3. swing — music
  4. rest — what's left
  5. board — a committee
  6. mine — for digging
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. firm — a company
  11. perch — the fish
  12. board — to get on
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. swing — to play on
  16. firm — steady
  17. firm — decided
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. game — wild animals
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. rest — a break
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. rest — what's left
  24. swing — in golf

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