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: board · net · current · bass · snap · pitch · date · dip

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. bass — the fish
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. dip — to sink
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. net — after costs
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. current — of water
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. board — to get on
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. board — a committee
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. net — in sport
  16. net — for catching
  17. current — electric
  18. current — happening now
  19. snap — to click
  20. bass — low music
  21. pitch — completely
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. date — the fruit

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