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: rule · season · wind · lash · last · straw · board · ruler

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. board — to get on
  5. season — in sport
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. wind — moving air
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. season — of the year
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. last — to go on
  13. wind — moving air
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. last — finally
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. last — final
  20. rule — government
  21. rule — a law
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. wind — to turn a key

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