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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. tube — the underground
  3. squash — to crush
  4. tube — a container
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. drill — army training
  8. drill — the tool
  9. board — a committee
  10. drill — a practice
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. suit — in cards
  13. board — to get on
  14. suit — to fit
  15. stem — to come from
  16. suit — clothes
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. squash — the sport
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. wind — moving air
  21. firm — steady
  22. firm — decided
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. wind — moving air

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