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: toast · bank · game · tube · board · cabinet · jam · stock

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. tube — the underground
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. board — to get on
  5. board — a committee
  6. bank — for money
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. game — a match
  13. stock — goods
  14. tube — a container
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. bank — for money
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. bank — of a river
  21. stock — shares
  22. toast — bread
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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