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 120 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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. board — a committee
  3. club — a group
  4. root — of a word
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. mug — to rob
  7. bass — the fish
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. bass — low music
  10. present — a gift
  11. present — the time now
  12. mug — a face
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. bark — to shout
  15. root — of a plant
  16. club — for dancing
  17. mug — a cup
  18. present — there
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. club — for golf
  21. board — to get on
  22. root — the cause
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. bass — the instrument

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