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: ruler · mouse · key · capital · foot · swing · band · board

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. capital — a city
  4. key — the most important part
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. swing — to play on
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. swing — in golf
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. capital — money
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. swing — music
  15. key — for a lock
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. band — a ring
  19. band — a music group
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. foot — a measure
  22. key — in music
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. board — to get on

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