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: cell · bay · mug · board · tear · rule · suit · face

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. suit — to fit
  3. cell — in biology
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. rule — government
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. board — to get on
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. mug — to rob
  11. face — to confront
  12. suit — clothes
  13. face — to point toward
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. tear — from crying
  16. suit — in cards
  17. mug — a face
  18. rule — a law
  19. tear — to rip
  20. tear — from crying
  21. mug — a cup
  22. cell — a phone
  23. face — part of the head
  24. cell — in a prison

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