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: perch · fine · game · wound · board · pass · wake · fork

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. wound — an injury
  3. fine — all right
  4. fine — high quality
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. perch — the fish
  10. wound — an injury
  11. fork — in a road
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. board — to get on
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. game — wild animals
  18. board — a committee
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. game — a match
  23. wake — a trail
  24. fork — to eat with

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