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 116 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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. bound — tied together
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. row — to paddle
  5. bound — certain
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. scale — in music
  8. chip — for betting
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. hand — in cards
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. hand — help
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. board — to get on
  16. chip — to eat
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. bound — obliged
  19. kick — in football
  20. board — a committee
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. scale — size or range
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. row — a line

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