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 120 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: mouse · board · cap · racket · club · charge · degree · wave

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  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. charge — in control
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. degree — from a university
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. board — a committee
  6. degree — an amount
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. cap — of ice
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. charge — electricity
  12. board — to get on
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. cap — a hat
  15. club — for dancing
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. charge — a price
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. degree — temperature
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. cap — a lid
  23. club — a group
  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