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: board · fine · tube · ground · cap · scale · rock · fork

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. fine — all right
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. ground — the earth
  5. cap — a hat
  6. scale — size or range
  7. board — a committee
  8. tube — the underground
  9. rock — a stone
  10. board — to get on
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. fork — in a road
  13. tube — a container
  14. ground — crushed
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. ground — a position
  18. scale — in music
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. fine — high quality
  21. rock — music
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. cap — a lid

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