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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. drill — army training
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. wound — an injury
  7. board — to get on
  8. cell — a phone
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. wound — an injury
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. board — a committee
  15. cell — in biology
  16. drill — the tool
  17. drill — a practice
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. mug — a face
  22. mug — a cup
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. deal — to handle

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