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 · ground · nail · staff · bound · jam · cue · roll

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. cue — a signal
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. ground — the earth
  5. staff — employees
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. board — to get on
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. ground — a position
  10. bound — certain
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. staff — employees
  13. bound — obliged
  14. bound — tied together
  15. cue — for pool
  16. ground — crushed
  17. roll — a cake
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. board — a committee
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. roll — a list
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. cue — a hint

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