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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. bank — of a river
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. ball — a dance
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. hand — help
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. bark — to shout
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. ball — a great time
  16. hand — in cards
  17. board — a committee
  18. wax — to grow
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. bank — for money
  22. bank — for money
  23. lie — to recline
  24. hand — part of the body

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