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: mark · court · rush · chair · branch · can · board · band

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. mark — a grade
  4. court — of a king
  5. board — a committee
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. can — a tin
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. rush — hurry
  10. mark — a trace
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. board — to get on
  14. can — to be able to
  15. band — a music group
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. branch — a division
  18. chair — a leader
  19. court — for sport
  20. can — a tin
  21. court — of law
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. band — a ring

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