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 120 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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. content — the amount
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. scale — size or range
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. scale — in music
  8. board — a committee
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. rest — what's left
  13. content — happy
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. rock — a stone
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. rest — what's left
  21. board — to get on
  22. rest — a break
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. rock — music

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