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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. board — a committee
  3. degree — from a university
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. cap — a lid
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. degree — an amount
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. degree — temperature
  11. rash — hasty
  12. cap — a hat
  13. board — to get on
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. club — a group
  16. drill — army training
  17. rash — a series
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. club — for dancing
  20. drill — a practice
  21. drill — the tool
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. club — for golf
  24. cap — of ice

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