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: field · dip · club · net · press · board · plane · mark

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. board — a committee
  4. net — for catching
  5. field — a subject
  6. field — farmland
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. dip — to sink
  9. club — for golf
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. press — to push
  12. press — newspapers
  13. field — for sport
  14. plane — a tool
  15. net — after costs
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. board — to get on
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. club — for dancing
  20. mark — a grade
  21. press — a publisher
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. mark — a trace
  24. net — in sport

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