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 tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. band — a music group
  4. ball — a dance
  5. board — a committee
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. band — a ring
  11. charge — in control
  12. ball — a great time
  13. charge — electricity
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. board — to get on
  16. lie — to recline
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. chair — a leader
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. bowl — to roll

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