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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. fork — in a road
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. season — in sport
  7. shower — rain
  8. rock — music
  9. season — of the year
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. lie — to recline
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. board — to get on
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. board — a committee
  18. game — wild animals
  19. toast — bread
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. rock — a stone
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. game — a match

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