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 124 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. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. bound — obliged
  3. stem — to come from
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. bound — tied together
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. board — to get on
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. chest — of your body
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. toast — bread
  14. bound — certain
  15. wake — a trail
  16. charge — electricity
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. charge — in control
  20. board — a committee
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. chest — a box
  23. board — a flat piece
  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