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: rest · board · rock · swing · prune · pound · cabinet · present

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. prune — to trim
  3. board — a committee
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. prune — to trim
  6. swing — in golf
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. rest — what's left
  9. swing — music
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. swing — to play on
  12. rock — music
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. rest — what's left
  15. pound — a weight
  16. rock — a stone
  17. rest — a break
  18. present — a gift
  19. present — the time now
  20. present — there
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. board — to get on
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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