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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. board — a committee
  3. band — a ring
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. band — a music group
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. capital — a city
  13. face — to point toward
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. wax — to grow
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. capital — money
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. face — part of the head
  21. face — to confront
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. ball — a dance
  24. board — to get on

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