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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. stand — to bear
  4. stem — to come from
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. present — a gift
  8. present — the time now
  9. rash — a series
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. club — for dancing
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. rash — hasty
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. club — for golf
  19. board — a committee
  20. board — to get on
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. club — a group
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. hide — animal skin

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