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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: can · bat · temple · dip · board · club · perch · degree

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. club — for golf
  3. board — a committee
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. board — to get on
  6. can — a tin
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. degree — an amount
  9. degree — from a university
  10. bat — the animal
  11. degree — temperature
  12. can — to be able to
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. club — a group
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. club — for dancing
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. perch — the fish
  22. dip — to sink
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. can — a tin

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