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

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. root — of a plant
  3. board — a committee
  4. ground — the earth
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. board — to get on
  8. pop — to visit
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. ground — crushed
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. lean — to bend
  14. ground — a position
  15. scale — in music
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. pop — soda
  18. lean — thin
  19. root — the cause
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. pop — music
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. root — of a word
  24. pound — a weight

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