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

Word bank: bank · swing · stem · plane · shower · ruler · board · bound

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. stem — to come from
  3. board — to get on
  4. swing — music
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. bank — of a river
  7. bound — obliged
  8. shower — to wash
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. board — a committee
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. swing — to play on
  17. bank — for money
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bank — for money
  20. bound — tied together
  21. shower — rain
  22. bound — certain
  23. swing — in golf
  24. plane — a tool

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