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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. bulb — for light
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. cap — a lid
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. rush — hurry
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. deal — to handle
  11. tube — the underground
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. cap — a hat
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. cap — of ice
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. board — to get on
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. bulb — for light
  21. tube — a container
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. kick — in football

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