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: wake · mark · calf · board · rule · bound · club · march

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. wake — a trail
  3. board — a committee
  4. rule — government
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. club — for dancing
  7. bound — certain
  8. rule — a law
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. mark — a grade
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. club — a group
  14. bound — obliged
  15. mark — a trace
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. march — the month
  18. board — to get on
  19. march — music
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. march — the month
  22. club — for golf
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. mark — to pay attention

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