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: march · rash · hand · temple · board · rock · bound · plane

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. march — the month
  3. hand — in cards
  4. rock — a stone
  5. bound — certain
  6. bound — tied together
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. hand — help
  9. rock — music
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. march — the month
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. bound — obliged
  15. board — a committee
  16. march — music
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. rash — hasty
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. rash — a series
  21. plane — a tool
  22. board — to get on
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. temple — a place of worship

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