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: rush · safe · wake · fork · cold · ruler · board · lash

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. rush — hurry
  6. board — a committee
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. cold — not warm
  9. cold — an illness
  10. fork — in a road
  11. board — to get on
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. wake — a trail
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. ruler — for measuring

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