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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bark — to shout
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. game — a match
  7. board — a committee
  8. court — for sport
  9. bound — obliged
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — for light
  13. court — of law
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. bound — tied together
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. board — to get on
  21. bound — certain
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. court — of a king

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