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 120 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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. lean — thin
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. suit — in cards
  6. suit — to fit
  7. wake — a trail
  8. rock — music
  9. stand — to bear
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. lean — to bend
  12. suit — clothes
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. kid — to tease
  15. board — a committee
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. rock — a stone
  19. kid — child
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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