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: jam · ball · bound · face · board · safe · snap · wake

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. snap — to click
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. ball — a great time
  6. ball — a dance
  7. face — to point toward
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. board — to get on
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. face — to confront
  12. bound — tied together
  13. bound — obliged
  14. wake — a trail
  15. board — a committee
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. face — part of the head
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. bound — certain
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. jam — in traffic

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