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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. board — to get on
  3. court — for sport
  4. board — a committee
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. court — of a king
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. firm — steady
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. pop — soda
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. court — of law
  15. firm — decided
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. pop — music
  18. firm — a company
  19. pitch — completely
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. pop — to visit

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