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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. scale — in music
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. march — the month
  5. club — a group
  6. rest — what's left
  7. can — a tin
  8. board — to get on
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. can — to be able to
  12. march — music
  13. rest — a break
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. scale — size or range
  17. can — a tin
  18. pound — a weight
  19. rest — what's left
  20. board — a committee
  21. march — the month
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. club — for golf
  24. club — for dancing

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