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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. dip — to sink
  3. board — a committee
  4. ball — a great time
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. craft — a skill
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. bat — the animal
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. pound — a weight
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. board — to get on
  20. craft — boats
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. ball — a dance
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. ball — a round shape

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