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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. board — to get on
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. toast — bread
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. kid — child
  8. game — wild animals
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. board — a committee
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. kid — to tease

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