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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. stand — to bear
  3. row — a line
  4. bound — certain
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. tube — a container
  7. board — to get on
  8. board — a committee
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. bulb — for light
  11. club — for golf
  12. bound — obliged
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. club — for dancing
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. bound — tied together
  19. bulb — for light
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. tube — the underground
  22. club — a group
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. straw — dry grass

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