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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. mark — a grade
  3. squash — to crush
  4. board — to get on
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. rest — what's left
  8. squash — the sport
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. board — a committee
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. pound — a weight
  14. season — in sport
  15. march — the month
  16. rest — a break
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. march — the month
  19. season — of the year
  20. rest — what's left
  21. mark — a trace
  22. march — music
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. dip — to dunk

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