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: hand · wake · racket · lean · cap · club · board · ground

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. club — a group
  3. hand — in cards
  4. club — for dancing
  5. board — to get on
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. ground — a position
  10. ground — crushed
  11. lean — thin
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. lean — to bend
  15. cap — a lid
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. cap — a hat
  19. board — a committee
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. hand — help
  22. ground — the earth
  23. cap — of ice
  24. club — for golf

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