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: season · board · ruler · cabinet · jam · march · club · press

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. season — of the year
  3. press — a publisher
  4. board — to get on
  5. march — the month
  6. march — music
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. club — a group
  9. press — newspapers
  10. club — for golf
  11. press — to push
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. season — in sport
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. march — the month
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. club — for dancing
  22. board — a committee
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. ruler — for measuring

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