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 116 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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. stand — to bear
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. squash — the sport
  6. board — to get on
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. kick — in football
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. squash — to crush
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. clip — a video
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. wake — a trail
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. clip — to cut
  21. clip — for paper
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. wake — before a funeral

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