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: present · board · bay · march · pound · fork · bowl · pitcher

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. board — a committee
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. present — the time now
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. fork — in a road
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. march — the month
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. board — to get on
  12. march — music
  13. present — a gift
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. march — the month
  17. pound — a weight
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. present — there
  24. pitcher — a jug

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