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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. stand — to bear
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. spell — magic
  6. spell — a short time
  7. rest — what's left
  8. mark — a trace
  9. lie — to recline
  10. rest — a break
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. fine — all right
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. fine — high quality
  18. board — a committee
  19. rest — what's left
  20. spell — letters
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. board — to get on
  23. mark — a grade
  24. fine — a penalty

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