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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. board — a committee
  3. ball — a great time
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. tear — to rip
  6. tear — from crying
  7. prune — to trim
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. current — happening now
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. ball — a dance
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. current — of water
  15. fork — in a road
  16. tear — from crying
  17. board — to get on
  18. prune — to trim
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. lie — to recline
  23. pound — a weight
  24. current — electric

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