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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. season — of the year
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. tube — the underground
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. mate — a partner
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. cell — in biology
  9. board — a committee
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. mate — a friend
  12. mate — to breed
  13. season — in sport
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. tube — a container
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. deal — to handle
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. cell — a phone
  24. board — to get on

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