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: net · stand · swing · scale · rest · board · sharp · arm

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. board — to get on
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. net — for catching
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. swing — to play on
  8. scale — size or range
  9. sharp — clever
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. rest — what's left
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. net — after costs
  14. net — in sport
  15. board — a committee
  16. swing — in golf
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. stand — to bear
  19. rest — a break
  20. rest — what's left
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. scale — in music
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. swing — music

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