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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. board — a committee
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. bark — to shout
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. bank — for money
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. wind — moving air
  12. board — to get on
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. perch — the fish
  15. bank — for money
  16. chair — a leader
  17. snap — to click
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. wind — moving air
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. stand — to bear
  24. bank — of a river

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