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 116 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: fall · bowl · coach · ruler · lean · board · pound · can

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. lean — to bend
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. board — a committee
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. fall — to drop
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. pound — a weight
  16. can — a tin
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. lean — thin
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. can — a tin
  22. can — to be able to
  23. fall — the season
  24. fall — to drop

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