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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. board — to get on
  3. hand — in cards
  4. drill — the tool
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. scale — in music
  9. spell — letters
  10. board — a committee
  11. spell — magic
  12. drill — army training
  13. wound — an injury
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. hand — help
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. bass — the fish
  18. drill — a practice
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. lie — to recline
  21. wound — an injury
  22. bass — low music
  23. spell — a short time
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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