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: racket · date · leaves · bound · capital · arm · board · chip

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. board — a committee
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. board — to get on
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. bound — tied together
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. chip — for betting
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. capital — a city
  16. bound — certain
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. date — the fruit
  20. bound — obliged
  21. capital — money
  22. chip — to eat
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. chip — in a computer

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