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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. chair — a leader
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. net — after costs
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. bear — the animal
  11. net — in sport
  12. net — for catching
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. board — a committee
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. perch — the fish
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. mark — a trace
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. board — to get on

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