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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. roll — a cake
  4. mark — a grade
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. board — a committee
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. spring — a coil
  9. swing — to play on
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. hand — in cards
  12. roll — a list
  13. spring — of water
  14. swing — in golf
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. swing — music
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. mark — a trace
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. rock — a stone
  21. board — to get on
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. hand — help
  24. rock — music

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