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: track · board · rest · bowl · spell · coach · current · fall

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. spell — a short time
  4. spell — letters
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. board — a committee
  7. current — of water
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. rest — what's left
  10. track — a song
  11. board — to get on
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. fall — to drop
  14. current — electric
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rest — a break
  19. fall — to drop
  20. current — happening now
  21. fall — the season
  22. track — a path
  23. track — to keep track
  24. spell — magic

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