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 120 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: present · game · board · bay · current · cold · tube · temple

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. game — a match
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. present — the time now
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. current — happening now
  8. current — of water
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. present — there
  11. tube — the underground
  12. present — a gift
  13. cold — not warm
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. current — electric
  17. game — wild animals
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. board — a committee
  20. tube — a container
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. cold — an illness
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. board — to get on

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