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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. band — a ring
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. mate — to breed
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. board — to get on
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. mate — a partner
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. drill — a practice
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. mate — a friend
  18. bark — to shout
  19. bulb — for light
  20. board — a committee
  21. drill — the tool
  22. band — a music group
  23. drill — army training
  24. bulb — for light

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