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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. board — a committee
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. board — to get on
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. bound — tied together
  11. bass — low music
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. march — music
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. plane — a tool
  18. bound — certain
  19. rule — a law
  20. march — the month
  21. march — the month
  22. bound — obliged
  23. rule — government
  24. bass — the fish

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