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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. board — a committee
  4. board — to get on
  5. tear — to rip
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. bank — for money
  8. tear — from crying
  9. bank — of a river
  10. bank — for money
  11. degree — temperature
  12. degree — from a university
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. degree — an amount
  17. sharp — clever
  18. squash — to crush
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. tear — from crying
  21. squash — the sport
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. mug — a face
  24. mug — to rob

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