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: game · tube · wake · lash · board · dip · wave · track

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. board — to get on
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. tube — the underground
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. game — wild animals
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. track — a song
  14. track — a path
  15. board — a committee
  16. dip — to sink
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. wake — a trail
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. track — to keep track
  24. tube — a container

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