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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. chest — a box
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. chest — of your body
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. capital — money
  10. rush — hurry
  11. board — a committee
  12. capital — a city
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. mark — a trace
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. pass — a permit
  20. chest — of your body
  21. mark — a grade
  22. kick — in football
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. capital — a big letter

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