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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. key — for a lock
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. bark — to shout
  6. rest — a break
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. stock — shares
  11. current — of water
  12. scale — size or range
  13. pound — a weight
  14. key — the most important part
  15. rest — what's left
  16. current — happening now
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. board — a committee
  19. rest — what's left
  20. current — electric
  21. board — to get on
  22. scale — in music
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. stock — goods

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