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: board · rush · scale · bowl · ruler · net · pop · stock

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. pop — music
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. net — after costs
  8. rush — hurry
  9. stock — goods
  10. pop — to visit
  11. stock — shares
  12. board — to get on
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. scale — in music
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. scale — size or range
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. net — for catching
  20. pop — soda
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. board — a committee
  24. ruler — a monarch

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