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 · track · bowl · bark · temple · snap · fall · race

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. bark — to shout
  3. board — to get on
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. race — the arms race
  6. fall — to drop
  7. board — a committee
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. track — a song
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. track — to keep track
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. race — humankind
  18. fall — the season
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. track — a path
  23. race — a contest
  24. snap — to click

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