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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. roll — a list
  4. fall — to drop
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. staff — employees
  7. board — to get on
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. board — a committee
  10. stem — to come from
  11. fall — to drop
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. staff — a stick
  15. roll — a cake
  16. fall — the season
  17. staff — employees
  18. foot — a measure

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