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: board · band · foot · toast · content · root · pound · ground

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. root — of a plant
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. board — to get on
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. ground — the earth
  10. root — of a word
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. root — the cause
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. foot — a measure
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. content — the amount
  18. board — a committee
  19. content — happy
  20. pound — a weight
  21. ground — a position
  22. toast — bread
  23. ground — crushed
  24. band — a music group

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