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: pitch · shower · board · rock · wake · lean · stem · coach

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. rock — a stone
  4. wake — a trail
  5. board — to get on
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. shower — rain
  8. shower — to wash
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. rock — music
  11. lean — to bend
  12. pitch — completely
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. lean — thin
  22. board — a committee
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. stem — to come from

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