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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. face — to confront
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. current — electric
  5. spell — a short time
  6. spell — magic
  7. club — a group
  8. face — part of the head
  9. bass — low music
  10. track — to keep track
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. spell — letters
  13. current — of water
  14. face — to point toward
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. club — for dancing
  18. bass — the fish
  19. board — to get on
  20. current — happening now
  21. track — a path
  22. club — for golf
  23. foot — a measure
  24. board — a committee

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