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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. mark — a grade
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. face — part of the head
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. stand — to bear
  7. wind — moving air
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. mark — a trace
  12. rule — a law
  13. board — a committee
  14. board — to get on
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. rule — government
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. chair — a leader
  21. wind — moving air
  22. face — to point toward
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. face — to confront

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