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: stick · dip · mine · land · bound · cabinet · track · board

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. mine — for digging
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. board — to get on
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. dip — to sink
  7. board — a committee
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. track — a path
  12. land — a country
  13. track — a song
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. land — to come down
  20. track — to keep track
  21. bound — obliged
  22. land — ground
  23. bound — certain
  24. bound — tied together

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