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 ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. court — of law
  3. firm — a company
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. toast — bread
  10. court — of a king
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. firm — decided
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. court — for sport
  18. pitch — completely
  19. board — a committee
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. board — to get on
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. firm — steady
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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