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: ruler · degree · wound · rash · sharp · board · racket · staff

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. staff — a stick
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. board — a committee
  5. sharp — clever
  6. rash — a series
  7. wound — an injury
  8. staff — employees
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. staff — employees
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. wound — an injury
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. board — to get on
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. degree — an amount
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. degree — from a university
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. rash — hasty
  24. degree — temperature

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