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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. capital — a city
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. capital — money
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. wake — a trail
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. stem — to come from
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. board — a committee
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. foot — a measure

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