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: board · scale · lean · game · pass · pitch · spring · ruler

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. pitch — completely
  4. spring — of water
  5. spring — the season
  6. lean — to bend
  7. spring — a coil
  8. board — a committee
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. game — wild animals
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. lean — thin
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. pass — a permit
  21. board — to get on
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. scale — size or range
  24. scale — in 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