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 120 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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. bound — obliged
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. rest — what's left
  6. face — to confront
  7. club — for golf
  8. sharp — clever
  9. face — to point toward
  10. club — a group
  11. plane — a tool
  12. bound — certain
  13. board — a committee
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. track — a song
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rest — a break
  19. face — part of the head
  20. track — a path
  21. board — to get on
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. bound — tied together
  24. club — for dancing

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