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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. board — a committee
  3. current — happening now
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. mate — a partner
  7. mate — to breed
  8. clip — for paper
  9. staff — a stick
  10. lean — to bend
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. current — electric
  15. current — of water
  16. staff — employees
  17. staff — employees
  18. clip — a video
  19. mate — a friend
  20. board — to get on
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. clip — to cut
  24. ruler — a monarch

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