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 hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. scale — in music
  3. board — to get on
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. scale — size or range
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. staff — a stick
  11. staff — employees
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. sharp — clever
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. staff — employees
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. object — an aim
  18. object — a thing
  19. present — there
  20. present — a gift
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. object — to protest
  23. board — a committee
  24. present — the time now

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