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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. ball — a dance
  7. board — a committee
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. rash — a series
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. pit — a hole
  13. board — to get on
  14. pit — in a race
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. rock — a stone
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. plane — a tool
  19. hand — in cards
  20. rock — music
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. hand — help
  23. rash — hasty
  24. plane — in geometry

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