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 116 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: snap · bowl · hide · pitch · degree · staff · board · object

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. degree — an amount
  3. board — to get on
  4. object — an aim
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. object — a thing
  7. staff — a stick
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. staff — employees
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. degree — from a university
  12. board — a committee
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. pitch — completely
  15. object — to protest
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. degree — temperature
  18. staff — employees
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. snap — to click
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. hide — animal skin

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