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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. board — to get on
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. pitch — completely
  6. bass — low music
  7. board — a committee
  8. cold — not warm
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. cold — an illness
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. season — of the year
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. craft — a skill
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. craft — boats
  19. track — to keep track
  20. cold — the Cold War
  21. season — in sport
  22. track — a path
  23. bass — the fish
  24. track — a song

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