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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. mug — to rob
  3. mug — a face
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. board — a committee
  8. court — of law
  9. mug — a cup
  10. rock — music
  11. deal — to handle
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. board — to get on
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. bore — to drill
  16. court — for sport
  17. hand — help
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. bore — to tire
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. rock — a stone
  23. hand — in cards
  24. court — of a king

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