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: stick · charge · season · board · mine · bound · pound · track

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. season — in sport
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. mine — for digging
  6. bound — tied together
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. bound — certain
  10. season — of the year
  11. charge — a price
  12. track — a path
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. track — to keep track
  15. pound — a weight
  16. board — a committee
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bound — obliged
  20. track — a song
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. charge — in control
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. charge — electricity

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