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

Word bank: club · rock · spring · row · board · pop · racket · face

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. club — for dancing
  3. pop — soda
  4. row — to paddle
  5. spring — the season
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. rock — music
  9. rock — a stone
  10. row — a line
  11. face — to confront
  12. pop — music
  13. pop — to visit
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. spring — of water
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. face — part of the head
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. club — a group
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. board — a committee
  22. board — to get on
  23. club — for golf
  24. face — to point toward

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