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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. toast — bread
  5. fine — high quality
  6. board — a committee
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. fork — in a road
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. fine — all right
  16. plane — a tool
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. row — to paddle
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. row — a line
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. board — a flat piece

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