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 · spring · present · wake · kid · ball · board · drill

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. present — there
  3. spring — a coil
  4. suit — to fit
  5. suit — in cards
  6. present — a gift
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. kid — child
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. drill — the tool
  11. spring — the season
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. kid — to tease
  14. board — a committee
  15. wake — a trail
  16. present — the time now
  17. drill — a practice
  18. spring — of water
  19. suit — clothes
  20. ball — a dance
  21. board — to get on
  22. ball — a great time
  23. drill — army training
  24. wake — before a funeral

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