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: board · current · mine · land · bear · rule · cue · object

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. cue — a hint
  4. land — to come down
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. cue — a signal
  7. rule — government
  8. object — an aim
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. current — happening now
  11. mine — for digging
  12. board — a committee
  13. bear — the animal
  14. board — to get on
  15. bear — the animal
  16. object — a thing
  17. rule — a law
  18. current — electric
  19. land — ground
  20. cue — for pool
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. object — to protest
  23. current — of water
  24. land — a country

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