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: board · jam · stock · cap · wake · face · fan · rule

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. board — a committee
  4. cap — of ice
  5. face — part of the head
  6. cap — a lid
  7. wake — a trail
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. face — to confront
  11. stock — goods
  12. rule — a law
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. face — to point toward
  18. rule — government
  19. cap — a hat
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. board — to get on
  22. stock — shares
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. fan — to cool the air

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