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: leaves · kick · firm · present · board · bat · sharp · dip

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. board — a committee
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. present — a gift
  7. sharp — clever
  8. bat — the animal
  9. firm — decided
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. present — the time now
  15. kick — in football
  16. firm — steady
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. present — there
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. dip — to sink
  21. board — to get on
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. sharp — with an edge

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