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: fan · net · prune · board · hand · dip · rash · fine

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. dip — to sink
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. board — to get on
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fine — high quality
  10. net — after costs
  11. net — in sport
  12. rash — a series
  13. net — for catching
  14. prune — to trim
  15. fine — all right
  16. prune — to trim
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. hand — in cards
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. hand — help
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. rash — hasty

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