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: trunk · board · stem · coach · plane · bay · bear · spell

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. spell — a short time
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. spell — letters
  14. bear — the animal
  15. board — a committee
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. stem — to come from
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. bear — the animal
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. spell — magic
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. plane — a tool
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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