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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. board — a committee
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. suit — clothes
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. squash — to crush
  10. suit — in cards
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. chair — a leader
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. board — to get on
  15. bore — to tire
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. suit — to fit
  18. game — wild animals
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. bore — to drill
  22. game — a match
  23. squash — the sport
  24. stem — to come from

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