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

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. degree — temperature
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. mine — for digging
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. board — a committee
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. pass — a permit
  11. rush — hurry
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. toast — bread
  16. degree — from a university
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. degree — an amount
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. board — to get on
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. pass — to succeed

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