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: bulb · wind · mate · board · scale · calf · capital · pass

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. scale — size or range
  3. mate — a friend
  4. wind — moving air
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. board — to get on
  7. capital — a city
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. capital — money
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. mate — to breed
  15. pass — a permit
  16. mate — a partner
  17. board — a committee
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bulb — for light
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. bulb — for light
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. wind — moving air

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