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: lash · board · fine · degree · spell · net · firm · toast

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. spell — letters
  3. firm — steady
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. fine — high quality
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. spell — magic
  9. board — a committee
  10. firm — a company
  11. fine — all right
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. spell — a short time
  14. firm — decided
  15. degree — from a university
  16. board — to get on
  17. toast — bread
  18. net — after costs
  19. net — in sport
  20. degree — temperature
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. net — for catching
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. degree — an amount

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