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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. lean — to bend
  5. board — a committee
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. rock — a stone
  8. board — to get on
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. squash — the sport
  13. field — farmland
  14. chip — for betting
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. lean — thin
  17. chip — to eat
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. rock — music
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. field — for sport
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. squash — to crush
  24. field — a subject

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