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. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. bound — certain
  5. band — a music group
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. present — a gift
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. season — of the year
  12. season — in sport
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. kick — in football
  15. present — there
  16. board — to get on
  17. bound — obliged
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. bound — tied together
  23. present — the time now
  24. board — a committee

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