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 116 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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. ground — a position
  3. root — of a word
  4. band — a music group
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. club — for golf
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. row — a line
  9. board — to get on
  10. band — a ring
  11. club — for dancing
  12. ground — the earth
  13. root — of a plant
  14. row — to paddle
  15. cue — a signal
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. club — a group
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. cue — for pool
  22. board — a committee
  23. root — the cause
  24. cue — a hint

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