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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. last — finally
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. cell — in biology
  7. cell — a phone
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. dip — to sink
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. club — a group
  14. board — a committee
  15. board — to get on
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. last — final
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. club — for dancing
  23. club — for golf
  24. last — to go on

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