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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. ground — crushed
  3. stock — goods
  4. wound — an injury
  5. wound — an injury
  6. court — of law
  7. pop — to visit
  8. ground — the earth
  9. pop — music
  10. pop — soda
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. court — of a king
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. ground — a position
  19. stock — shares
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. court — for sport
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. board — a committee
  24. temple — a place of worship

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