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 120 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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. hand — help
  5. net — for catching
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. net — after costs
  10. board — a committee
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. hand — in cards
  13. tear — to rip
  14. pop — to visit
  15. rock — music
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. board — to get on
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. pop — music
  20. rock — a stone
  21. tear — from crying
  22. tear — from crying
  23. rush — hurry
  24. net — in sport

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