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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. tube — the underground
  3. rule — government
  4. board — to get on
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. bore — to tire
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. board — a committee
  10. bore — to drill
  11. spell — a short time
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. spell — magic
  14. ball — a great time
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. rule — a law
  17. mate — a friend
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. tube — a container
  20. mate — to breed
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. spell — letters
  23. mate — a partner
  24. board — a flat piece

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