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: bank · sharp · mine · board · pop · fork · rock · land

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. bank — of a river
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. board — a committee
  6. pop — to visit
  7. pop — music
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. rock — a stone
  12. fork — in a road
  13. sharp — clever
  14. board — to get on
  15. land — a country
  16. pop — soda
  17. rock — music
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. land — to come down
  20. bank — for money
  21. land — ground
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. bank — for money
  24. fork — a garden tool

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