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 116 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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. season — of the year
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. board — to get on
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. board — a committee
  15. wake — a trail
  16. season — in sport
  17. sharp — clever
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bat — the animal
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. hide — to keep secret

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