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 muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  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. track — a path
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. track — a song
  4. board — a committee
  5. court — of law
  6. chip — for betting
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. chip — to eat
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. court — for sport
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. track — to keep track
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. court — of a king
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. wake — a trail
  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