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 muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. track — a song
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. present — there
  5. board — to get on
  6. roll — a cake
  7. plane — a tool
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. rule — a law
  11. track — to keep track
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. present — the time now
  16. roll — a list
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. rule — government
  20. board — a committee
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. present — a gift

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