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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. band — a ring
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. deal — to handle
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. bark — to shout
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. band — a music group
  14. suit — clothes
  15. scale — in music
  16. suit — to fit
  17. foot — a measure
  18. scale — size or range
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. board — a committee
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. dip — to sink
  23. suit — in cards
  24. deal — a big deal

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