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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. mate — to breed
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. mark — a grade
  5. wind — moving air
  6. board — to get on
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. mate — a partner
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. foot — a measure
  12. wind — moving air
  13. key — in music
  14. roll — a cake
  15. track — a path
  16. track — a song
  17. key — the most important part
  18. roll — a list
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. board — a committee
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. key — for a lock
  23. track — to keep track
  24. mate — a friend

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