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

Word bank: board · firm · face · mate · track · bear · scale · sharp

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. board — to get on
  5. mate — a friend
  6. firm — steady
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. track — a song
  10. firm — decided
  11. firm — a company
  12. face — to confront
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. mate — to breed
  15. scale — in music
  16. face — to point toward
  17. face — part of the head
  18. bear — the animal
  19. sharp — clever
  20. bear — the animal
  21. board — a committee
  22. track — a path
  23. scale — size or range
  24. track — to keep track

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