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 120 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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. face — to confront
  3. season — in sport
  4. cue — for pool
  5. perch — the fish
  6. cue — a hint
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. bore — to tire
  11. board — a committee
  12. cue — a signal
  13. face — part of the head
  14. rule — a law
  15. face — to point toward
  16. season — of the year
  17. current — of water
  18. current — happening now
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. current — electric
  22. rule — government
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. bore — to drill

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