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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. march — the month
  6. board — a committee
  7. court — for sport
  8. march — the month
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. mine — for digging
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. court — of law
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. board — to get on
  21. court — of a king
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. pass — a permit
  24. march — music

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