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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. board — a committee
  6. ground — a position
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. ground — crushed
  9. kid — to tease
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. mate — a partner
  12. net — after costs
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. mate — to breed
  15. net — for catching
  16. ground — the earth
  17. net — in sport
  18. mate — a friend
  19. board — to get on
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. kid — child
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. bowl — a dish

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