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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. can — to be able to
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. present — there
  6. can — a tin
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. board — a committee
  10. land — to come down
  11. mate — a partner
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. mate — a friend
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. mate — to breed
  17. land — a country
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. stem — to come from
  20. land — ground
  21. present — the time now
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. can — a tin
  24. board — to get on

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