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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. kick — in football
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. board — a committee
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. board — to get on
  12. snap — to click
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bear — the animal
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. fork — in a road
  24. nail — for a hammer

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