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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. fine — all right
  3. foot — a measure
  4. mate — a partner
  5. mate — to breed
  6. club — for dancing
  7. fine — high quality
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. deal — to handle
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. board — a committee
  17. mate — a friend
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. board — to get on
  22. club — a group
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. wake — a trail

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