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: net · date · cap · bowl · suit · board · saw · tube

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. net — in sport
  3. cap — of ice
  4. net — after costs
  5. tube — a container
  6. date — the fruit
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. suit — in cards
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. tube — the underground
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. suit — to fit
  14. suit — clothes
  15. net — for catching
  16. saw — the tool
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. cap — a lid
  20. cap — a hat
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. board — to get on
  23. saw — the tool
  24. date — on the calendar

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