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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. pass — a permit
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. charge — in control
  6. board — a committee
  7. wake — a trail
  8. cap — of ice
  9. charge — electricity
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. cap — a lid
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. charge — a price
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. board — to get on
  20. branch — a division
  21. cap — a hat
  22. stem — to come from
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. hide — to keep secret

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