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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. net — after costs
  3. ball — a great time
  4. face — part of the head
  5. bank — of a river
  6. face — to confront
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. ball — a dance
  9. spell — magic
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. spell — a short time
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. net — for catching
  14. board — to get on
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. face — to point toward
  17. net — in sport
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. spell — letters
  20. board — a committee
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. bank — for money
  24. bank — for money

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