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: race · object · saw · charge · roll · wake · staff · board

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. object — a thing
  3. saw — the tool
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. wake — a trail
  6. race — humankind
  7. roll — a list
  8. staff — a stick
  9. object — to protest
  10. object — an aim
  11. board — a committee
  12. charge — electricity
  13. charge — a price
  14. saw — the tool
  15. race — a contest
  16. staff — employees
  17. staff — employees
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. board — to get on
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. race — the arms race
  23. roll — a cake
  24. charge — in control

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