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

Word bank: bulb · fine · pound · bass · racket · board · club · last

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. club — for golf
  4. club — for dancing
  5. board — a committee
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. last — to go on
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. club — a group
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. bulb — for light
  13. fine — all right
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. fine — high quality
  17. pound — a weight
  18. bass — the fish
  19. last — final
  20. bass — low music
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. bulb — for light
  23. last — finally
  24. board — to get on

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