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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: board · rule · deal · stem · leaves · dip · foot · kid

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. rule — a law
  3. board — a committee
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. kid — child
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. deal — to handle
  12. rule — government
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. kid — to tease
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. stem — to come from
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. foot — a measure
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. dip — to sink
  24. deal — an agreement

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