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: board · ball · cue · wind · toast · pitcher · racket · dip

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. ball — a dance
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. cue — a signal
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. board — to get on
  16. dip — to sink
  17. ball — a great time
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. cue — for pool
  20. wind — moving air
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. cue — a hint
  23. wind — moving air
  24. toast — bread

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