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 116 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: firm · bank · pound · current · rash · tube · cabinet · board

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. firm — steady
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. tube — the underground
  7. bank — for money
  8. current — electric
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. rash — a series
  11. tube — a container
  12. current — of water
  13. board — to get on
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. bank — for money
  16. current — happening now
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. board — a committee
  19. rash — hasty
  20. firm — decided
  21. pound — a weight
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. bank — of a river
  24. firm — a company

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