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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. last — finally
  4. scale — size or range
  5. last — final
  6. fall — to drop
  7. ball — a dance
  8. roll — a list
  9. fall — the season
  10. board — to get on
  11. lean — to bend
  12. lean — thin
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. scale — in music
  15. last — to go on
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. plane — a tool
  18. ball — a great time
  19. fall — to drop
  20. board — a committee
  21. roll — a cake
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. scale — for weighing

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