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: board · arm · wake · object · mine · current · mug · present

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. mine — for digging
  3. current — electric
  4. object — a thing
  5. board — a committee
  6. current — happening now
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. present — the time now
  10. board — to get on
  11. object — an aim
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. present — there
  16. current — of water
  17. wake — a trail
  18. mug — a face
  19. mug — to rob
  20. present — a gift
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. mug — a cup
  23. object — to protest
  24. mine — belonging to me

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