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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. board — a committee
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. vault — a safe
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. swing — in golf
  10. degree — an amount
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. pit — in a race
  13. deal — to handle
  14. swing — music
  15. degree — temperature
  16. pitch — completely
  17. swing — to play on
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. pit — a hole
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. degree — from a university
  24. branch — a division

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