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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. board — to get on
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. board — a committee
  5. stock — shares
  6. rest — a break
  7. stock — goods
  8. pop — to visit
  9. tube — a container
  10. tube — the underground
  11. rest — what's left
  12. saw — the tool
  13. pop — music
  14. saw — the tool
  15. pop — soda
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. rest — what's left
  18. saw — past of 'see'

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