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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. board — a committee
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. pass — a permit
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. stem — to come from
  24. patient — a sick person

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