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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. fall — to drop
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. row — a line
  6. spell — a short time
  7. cue — a hint
  8. fall — the season
  9. branch — a division
  10. row — to paddle
  11. spell — magic
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. cue — a signal
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. pound — a weight
  17. cue — for pool
  18. spell — letters
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. board — a committee
  21. fall — to drop
  22. pass — a permit
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. branch — of a tree

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