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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. bound — certain
  3. root — of a word
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. scale — in music
  6. board — to get on
  7. bound — tied together
  8. last — finally
  9. root — the cause
  10. bound — obliged
  11. root — of a plant
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. last — to go on
  14. club — for dancing
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. pass — a permit
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. last — final
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. scale — size or range
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. board — a committee
  24. club — a group

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