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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: lie · board · spring · ball · craft · bore

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. board — to get on
  3. ball — a great time
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. bore — to tire
  6. spring — of water
  7. craft — boats
  8. ball — a dance
  9. bore — to drill
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. spring — the season
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. board — a committee
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. craft — a skill
  17. spring — a coil
  18. ball — a round shape

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