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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. can — a tin
  3. board — a committee
  4. scale — in music
  5. can — to be able to
  6. pound — a weight
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. pop — music
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. clip — for paper
  12. pop — to visit
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. board — to get on
  15. scale — size or range
  16. can — a tin
  17. present — there
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. clip — a video
  20. clip — to cut
  21. pop — soda
  22. present — a gift
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. present — the time now

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