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: mine · bass · fork · scale · chip · board · pitch · can

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. mine — for digging
  3. chip — for betting
  4. board — a committee
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. can — a tin
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. fork — in a road
  9. bass — the fish
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. pitch — completely
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. scale — in music
  14. bass — low music
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. chip — to eat
  17. can — to be able to
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. board — to get on
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. can — a tin

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