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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. craft — a skill
  6. rock — music
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. craft — boats
  9. board — a committee
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. mark — a trace
  12. stem — to come from
  13. wake — a trail
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. mark — a grade
  16. press — a publisher
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. press — newspapers
  20. rock — a stone
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. board — to get on
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. press — to push

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