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 train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. stand — to bear
  3. board — a committee
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. suit — in cards
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. scale — size or range
  13. shower — rain
  14. shower — to wash
  15. board — to get on
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. wax — to grow
  18. suit — to fit
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. suit — clothes
  23. scale — in music
  24. scale — for weighing

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