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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. chair — a leader
  6. can — a tin
  7. bass — low music
  8. bat — the animal
  9. board — to get on
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. can — to be able to
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. board — a committee
  19. toast — bread
  20. bass — the fish
  21. can — a tin
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. bark — to shout
  24. pass — a permit

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