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 116 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. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. rash — hasty
  3. rash — a series
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. wake — a trail
  9. chair — a leader
  10. content — happy
  11. bank — of a river
  12. content — the amount
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. board — a committee
  15. bank — for money
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. rule — a law
  19. rule — government
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. bank — for money
  22. stand — to bear
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. board — to get 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