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: lean · bass · firm · stick · board · degree · racket · foot

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. degree — an amount
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. bass — low music
  6. board — to get on
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. foot — a measure
  9. degree — temperature
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. firm — a company
  14. degree — from a university
  15. lean — thin
  16. bass — the fish
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. firm — steady
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. firm — decided
  22. lean — to bend
  23. board — a committee
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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