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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. face — part of the head
  4. craft — a skill
  5. face — to confront
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. board — to get on
  8. field — a subject
  9. season — of the year
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. face — to point toward
  14. season — in sport
  15. craft — boats
  16. pop — soda
  17. field — farmland
  18. field — for sport
  19. chip — to eat
  20. pop — music
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. board — a committee
  23. chip — for betting
  24. chip — in a computer

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