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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. board — a committee
  3. rule — a law
  4. board — to get on
  5. mark — a grade
  6. suit — in cards
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. suit — to fit
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. rule — government
  14. game — a match
  15. suit — clothes
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. mark — a trace
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. game — wild animals
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. chair — a leader

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