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 · fall · bay · row · cue · mark · leaves · court

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. cue — for pool
  3. fall — the season
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. court — of law
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. board — to get on
  8. row — a line
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. cue — a signal
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. fall — to drop
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. court — for sport
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. mark — a trace
  17. board — a committee
  18. row — to paddle
  19. fall — to drop
  20. mark — a grade
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. court — of a king
  24. cue — a hint

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