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: board · perch · net · cabinet · mug · game · firm · wound

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. mug — a face
  3. game — wild animals
  4. net — in sport
  5. mug — to rob
  6. net — for catching
  7. board — a committee
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. board — to get on
  10. wound — an injury
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. mug — a cup
  14. net — after costs
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. wound — an injury
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. firm — steady
  21. firm — a company
  22. firm — decided
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. perch — the fish

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