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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. board — to get on
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. swing — in golf
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. pound — a weight
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. swing — to play on
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. bat — the animal
  16. dip — to sink
  17. rule — government
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. board — a committee
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. date — the fruit
  23. swing — music
  24. pound — to hit hard

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