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: wax · bat · stand · board · lie · drill · net · fork

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. board — a committee
  6. drill — the tool
  7. board — to get on
  8. net — for catching
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. drill — army training
  13. stand — to bear
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. lie — to recline
  17. bat — the animal
  18. drill — a practice
  19. net — after costs
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. fork — in a road
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. wax — to grow

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