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: bowl · suit · saw · board · race · spell · stand · chest

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. suit — clothes
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. suit — in cards
  7. saw — the tool
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. chest — of your body
  10. suit — to fit
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. chest — of your body
  14. board — to get on
  15. board — a committee
  16. race — a contest
  17. spell — a short time
  18. spell — letters
  19. saw — the tool
  20. stand — to bear
  21. race — humankind
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. race — the arms race
  24. chest — a box

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