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 116 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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. board — to get on
  3. lie — to recline
  4. object — to protest
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. fork — in a road
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. board — a committee
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. track — a path
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. object — a thing
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. object — an aim
  17. track — to keep track
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. wound — an injury
  20. track — a song
  21. wound — an injury
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. mouse — the animal

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