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 116 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: deal · pit · ball · cabinet · march · content · board · object

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. object — an aim
  3. ball — a great time
  4. deal — to handle
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. march — the month
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. object — to protest
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. march — music
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. board — a committee
  14. object — a thing
  15. pit — in a race
  16. content — the amount
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. ball — a dance
  19. march — the month
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. content — happy
  22. pit — a hole
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. board — a flat piece

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