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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. fall — the season
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. object — a thing
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. object — an aim
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. fall — to drop
  13. lean — to bend
  14. hand — in cards
  15. board — a committee
  16. hand — help
  17. board — to get on
  18. object — to protest
  19. lean — thin
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. fall — to drop
  24. coach — a trainer

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