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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. pass — a permit
  5. ball — a dance
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. board — a committee
  8. bulb — for light
  9. game — a match
  10. mark — a trace
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. board — to get on
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. game — wild animals
  17. ball — a great time
  18. mark — a grade
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. row — a line
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. bark — to shout

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