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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. row — to paddle
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. court — for sport
  6. court — of a king
  7. face — to confront
  8. board — to get on
  9. track — to keep track
  10. board — a committee
  11. face — to point toward
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. row — a line
  18. court — of law
  19. deal — to handle
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. track — a path
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. face — part of the head

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