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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. board — a committee
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. can — to be able to
  8. ball — a dance
  9. mark — a trace
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. board — to get on
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. can — a tin
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. bat — the animal
  17. rest — what's left
  18. mark — a grade
  19. rest — a break
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. sharp — clever
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. rest — what's left
  24. ball — a great time

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