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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. object — an aim
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. object — to protest
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. board — a committee
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. object — a thing
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rest — a break
  16. season — in sport
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. season — of the year
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. board — to get on
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. pitcher — a jug

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