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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. bound — obliged
  3. pitch — completely
  4. rock — a stone
  5. hand — in cards
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. track — a song
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. bound — tied together
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. track — to keep track
  13. hand — help
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. bound — certain
  18. board — a committee
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. track — a path
  24. rock — music

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