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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. squash — the sport
  3. press — newspapers
  4. lie — to recline
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. kid — to tease
  8. press — to push
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. rock — music
  12. board — a committee
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. board — to get on
  16. rock — a stone
  17. squash — to crush
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. kid — child
  20. row — to paddle
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. press — a publisher
  24. row — a line

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