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: pass · board · cell · fine · ball · craft · rash · wound

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. fine — high quality
  3. pass — a permit
  4. fine — all right
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. wound — an injury
  7. cell — a phone
  8. board — to get on
  9. board — a committee
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. cell — in biology
  18. wound — an injury
  19. ball — a great time
  20. rash — hasty
  21. rash — a series
  22. craft — a skill
  23. ball — a dance
  24. pass — to spend time

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