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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. swing — to play on
  3. board — a committee
  4. swing — music
  5. mug — to rob
  6. stand — to bear
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. mug — a face
  9. file — a line of people
  10. mug — a cup
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. swing — in golf
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. sharp — clever
  15. file — a tool
  16. bound — tied together
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. bound — obliged
  19. board — to get on
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. bound — certain
  22. file — a document
  23. ball — a dance
  24. ball — a great time

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