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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. snap — to click
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. season — in sport
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. board — to get on
  19. hand — in cards
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. hand — help
  23. board — a committee
  24. season — of the year

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