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 120 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: scale · stick · cap · club · mug · firm · board · pit

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. scale — in music
  3. cap — a hat
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. club — for dancing
  6. firm — steady
  7. cap — a lid
  8. club — a group
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. club — for golf
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. scale — size or range
  14. firm — a company
  15. mug — a cup
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. mug — to rob
  18. pit — in a race
  19. pit — a hole
  20. board — a committee
  21. firm — decided
  22. cap — of ice
  23. mug — a face
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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