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: degree · board · present · track · rash · bay · hide · tube

  1. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. tube — the underground
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. degree — from a university
  6. track — a path
  7. track — a song
  8. present — the time now
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. present — there
  11. rash — a series
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. track — to keep track
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. tube — a container
  17. rash — hasty
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. board — a committee
  20. degree — temperature
  21. present — a gift
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. board — to get on

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