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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. bank — for money
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. root — the cause
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. bank — of a river
  10. board — to get on
  11. wake — a trail
  12. capital — a city
  13. race — a contest
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. root — of a plant
  17. race — humankind
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. race — the arms race
  20. bank — for money
  21. wax — to grow
  22. capital — money
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. root — of a word

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