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: bowl · straw · fan · shower · cue · leaves · board · prune

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. prune — to trim
  4. cue — a hint
  5. cue — for pool
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. cue — a signal
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. shower — to wash
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. shower — rain
  23. board — to get on
  24. prune — to trim

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