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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. game — a match
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. board — a committee
  6. rest — a break
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. row — to paddle
  9. rash — hasty
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. rash — a series
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. bear — the animal
  16. board — to get on
  17. rest — what's left
  18. bear — the animal
  19. rest — what's left
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. row — a line
  22. game — wild animals
  23. kick — in football
  24. rush — hurry

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