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 124 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 ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. wound — an injury
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. march — music
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. saw — the tool
  9. mark — a trace
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. board — to get on
  13. march — the month
  14. bear — the animal
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. wound — an injury
  18. bear — the animal
  19. mark — a grade
  20. saw — the tool
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. board — a committee
  23. march — the month
  24. board — a flat piece

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