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 124 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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pound · sharp · calf · board · temple · pit · bass · bound

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. bass — low music
  3. board — to get on
  4. sharp — clever
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. pit — in a race
  8. bass — the fish
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. board — a committee
  11. bound — tied together
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. bound — certain
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. pit — a hole
  20. pound — a weight
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. bound — obliged

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