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: content · pop · board · last · pound · sharp · mate · nail

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. sharp — clever
  4. pop — music
  5. content — the amount
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. pop — soda
  10. board — to get on
  11. last — finally
  12. mate — a friend
  13. pop — to visit
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. pound — a weight
  16. last — final
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. mate — to breed
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. last — to go on
  21. mate — a partner
  22. content — happy
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. board — a flat piece

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