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 116 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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. cue — a hint
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. cue — for pool
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. bound — tied together
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. perch — the fish
  10. fork — in a road
  11. bound — obliged
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. game — wild animals
  14. bound — certain
  15. board — a committee
  16. scale — in music
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. game — a match
  19. scale — size or range
  20. bass — the fish
  21. bass — low music
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. cue — a signal
  24. scale — for weighing

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