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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. club — for dancing
  5. net — after costs
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. board — to get on
  8. bear — the animal
  9. field — a subject
  10. net — in sport
  11. last — finally
  12. bear — the animal
  13. swing — music
  14. board — a committee
  15. swing — to play on
  16. last — final
  17. field — for sport
  18. net — for catching
  19. field — farmland
  20. club — for golf
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. swing — in golf
  23. last — to go on
  24. hide — to keep secret

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