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: suit · kid · wind · rule · current · board · track · court

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. rule — government
  4. board — a committee
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. track — to keep track
  7. kid — child
  8. wind — moving air
  9. wind — moving air
  10. suit — in cards
  11. board — to get on
  12. current — happening now
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. suit — to fit
  15. court — for sport
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. rule — a law
  18. suit — clothes
  19. court — of a king
  20. court — of law
  21. current — of water
  22. current — electric
  23. track — a song
  24. kid — to tease

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