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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. ground — crushed
  3. board — a committee
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. hand — in cards
  6. hand — help
  7. ground — the earth
  8. board — to get on
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. fall — to drop
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. fall — to drop
  13. ball — a dance
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. ball — a great time
  18. mug — to rob
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. fall — the season
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. mug — a face
  24. ground — a position

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