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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. pit — in a race
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. stem — to come from
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. pit — a hole
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. board — to get on
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. suit — clothes
  18. suit — to fit
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. dip — to sink
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. suit — in cards
  24. mouse — the animal

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