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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. bass — the fish
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. race — humankind
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. bass — low music
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. board — a committee
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. race — a contest
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. race — the arms race
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. lean — thin
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. wake — a trail
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. board — to get on
  24. lean — to bend

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