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: coach · land · bowl · board · stick · wake · roll · deal

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. land — to come down
  3. deal — to handle
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. board — a committee
  6. board — to get on
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. roll — a list
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. land — ground
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. roll — a cake
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. wake — a trail

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