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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  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. pound — for dogs
  2. board — a committee
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bulb — for light
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. stand — to bear
  7. charge — electricity
  8. charge — a price
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. squash — to crush
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bulb — for light
  13. cold — not warm
  14. board — to get on
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. squash — the sport
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. bear — the animal
  21. cold — an illness
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. charge — in control
  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