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: craft · pass · face · board · season · cabinet · chest · bowl

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. chest — of your body
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. season — in sport
  5. face — to point toward
  6. chest — of your body
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. board — to get on
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. face — part of the head
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. craft — boats
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. craft — a skill
  18. chest — a box
  19. season — of the year
  20. face — to confront
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. pass — a permit
  24. cabinet — ministers

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