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: lash · staff · wound · board · cold · bank · foot · bore

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. board — to get on
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. foot — a measure
  5. bank — of a river
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. staff — employees
  10. bore — to drill
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. staff — a stick
  13. wound — an injury
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. cold — not warm
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. staff — employees
  19. cold — an illness
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. bank — for money
  22. bore — to tire
  23. bank — for money
  24. wound — an injury

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