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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. ground — crushed
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. bass — the fish
  8. net — after costs
  9. net — in sport
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. board — to get on
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. ground — a position
  16. bass — low music
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. ground — the earth
  21. net — for catching
  22. scale — in music
  23. board — a committee
  24. jam — in traffic

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