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 116 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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. content — happy
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. board — to get on
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. rock — a stone
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. board — a committee
  11. bark — to shout
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. content — the amount
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. rock — music

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