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: hide · coach · last · board · pit · ball · rock · pass

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. last — final
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. pass — a permit
  7. board — to get on
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. last — finally
  10. last — to go on
  11. rock — a stone
  12. pit — a hole
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. ball — a dance
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. ball — a great time
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. rock — music
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. pit — in a race

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