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: patient · board · court · object · bank · bowl · mine · lash

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. court — for sport
  3. object — to protest
  4. bank — for money
  5. court — of a king
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. bank — of a river
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. mine — for digging
  14. board — to get on
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. bank — for money
  18. object — a thing
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. court — of law
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. object — an aim
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. lash — an eyelash

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