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: arm · pitcher · file · bore · stock · suit · cap · board

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. board — to get on
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. suit — clothes
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. file — a tool
  7. cap — of ice
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. bore — to tire
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. suit — to fit
  12. cap — a hat
  13. suit — in cards
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. file — a line of people
  16. bore — to drill
  17. stock — goods
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. file — a document
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. board — a committee
  23. stock — shares
  24. cap — a lid

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