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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. club — a group
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. board — to get on
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. board — a committee
  13. deal — to handle
  14. wound — an injury
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. bark — to shout
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. club — for golf
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. club — for dancing
  22. rash — hasty
  23. wound — an injury
  24. rash — a series

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