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 116 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 · rush · cap · fork · staff · stem · content · board

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. cap — a lid
  4. stem — to come from
  5. content — happy
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. content — the amount
  11. staff — employees
  12. staff — a stick
  13. rush — hurry
  14. fork — in a road
  15. board — a committee
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. staff — employees
  18. pound — a weight
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. cap — a hat
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. cap — of ice
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. rush — a thrill

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