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: branch · fork · pound · race · current · roll · board · chair

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. pound — a weight
  3. current — electric
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. roll — a cake
  7. roll — a list
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. board — a committee
  12. current — happening now
  13. race — a contest
  14. fork — in a road
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. race — humankind
  17. branch — a division
  18. chair — a leader
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. race — the arms race
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. current — of water
  24. chair — to sit 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