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 120 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 · mug · hand · bound · scale · kick · dip · bulb

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. bound — obliged
  5. hand — help
  6. dip — to sink
  7. board — to get on
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. scale — in music
  12. mug — a cup
  13. board — a committee
  14. kick — in football
  15. bound — certain
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. scale — size or range
  19. mug — to rob
  20. bound — tied together
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. bulb — for light
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. mug — a face

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