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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. board — to get on
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. toast — bread
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. game — wild animals
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. track — a path
  18. game — a match
  19. scale — in music
  20. track — to keep track
  21. scale — size or range
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. track — a song
  24. board — a committee

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