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 120 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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. tube — a container
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. tube — the underground
  6. mark — a grade
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. hand — in cards
  10. band — a music group
  11. plane — a tool
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. hand — help
  15. board — a committee
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. mark — a trace
  22. band — a ring
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. mark — to pay attention

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