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 120 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: bay · racket · march · board · present · spell · lie · fine

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. present — the time now
  3. march — the month
  4. spell — letters
  5. march — the month
  6. spell — magic
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. board — a committee
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. spell — a short time
  12. lie — to recline
  13. march — music
  14. fine — high quality
  15. present — there
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. board — to get on
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. present — a gift

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