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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. rest — a break
  3. mark — a grade
  4. rest — what's left
  5. deal — to handle
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bore — to tire
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. board — to get on
  10. mug — a cup
  11. season — of the year
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. band — a music group
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. mug — to rob
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. mug — a face
  19. rest — what's left
  20. mark — a trace
  21. band — a ring
  22. season — in sport
  23. board — a committee
  24. deal — an agreement

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