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: fall · scale · degree · mouse · saw · fork · trunk · board

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. saw — the tool
  4. fall — to drop
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. scale — size or range
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. saw — the tool
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. board — to get on
  11. degree — temperature
  12. board — a committee
  13. degree — from a university
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. degree — an amount
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. fall — the season
  20. fall — to drop
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. fork — in a road
  24. trunk — of a tree

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