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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. charge — electricity
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. last — finally
  6. clip — to cut
  7. stem — to come from
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. board — a committee
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. clip — a video
  13. pop — to visit
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. charge — in control
  16. last — final
  17. pop — music
  18. last — to go on
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. clip — for paper
  21. pop — soda
  22. wake — a trail
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. charge — a price

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