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: leaves · squash · spring · board · fork · deal · mark · rash

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. deal — to handle
  4. squash — the sport
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. squash — to crush
  7. spring — a coil
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. mark — a trace
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. mark — a grade
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. board — to get on
  14. spring — the season
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. rash — a series
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. rash — hasty
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. fork — in a road
  22. board — a committee
  23. spring — of water
  24. deal — an agreement

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