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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. hand — in cards
  3. board — to get on
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. mate — to breed
  9. wound — an injury
  10. wound — an injury
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. present — there
  13. present — the time now
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. mate — a partner
  18. game — wild animals
  19. hand — help
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. present — a gift
  22. game — a match
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. board — a committee

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