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. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. cap — a lid
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. board — a committee
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. board — to get on
  9. cap — a hat
  10. current — happening now
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. current — of water
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. cap — of ice
  16. current — electric
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. stand — to bear
  20. lie — to recline
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. stand — for spectators

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