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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. board — to get on
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. foot — a measure
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. date — the fruit
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. spring — of water
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. branch — a division
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. cap — of ice
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. spring — the season
  21. spring — a coil
  22. cap — a hat
  23. board — a committee
  24. date — on the calendar

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