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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. capital — a city
  6. bound — certain
  7. board — to get on
  8. ground — the earth
  9. bound — obliged
  10. mate — to breed
  11. mate — a partner
  12. toast — bread
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. pound — a weight
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — to trim
  18. bound — tied together
  19. ground — a position
  20. mate — a friend
  21. capital — money
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. ground — crushed
  24. board — a committee

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