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: scale · bark · hide · board · tube · staff · deal · track

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. scale — in music
  3. bark — to shout
  4. track — to keep track
  5. staff — employees
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. tube — the underground
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. staff — employees
  11. staff — a stick
  12. board — to get on
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. track — a path
  15. deal — to handle
  16. track — a song
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. scale — size or range
  20. tube — a container
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. board — a committee

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