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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. wound — an injury
  4. drill — the tool
  5. date — the fruit
  6. kid — to tease
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. drill — a practice
  11. drill — army training
  12. board — a committee
  13. kid — child
  14. lie — to recline
  15. wound — an injury
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. clip — a video
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. clip — for paper
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. clip — to cut
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. lie — an untruth

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