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: lie · bank · board · ruler · object · lash · wake · cap

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. board — a committee
  3. lie — to recline
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bank — for money
  6. cap — of ice
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. wake — a trail
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. object — to protest
  11. board — to get on
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. cap — a lid
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. bank — for money
  21. cap — a hat
  22. bank — of a river
  23. object — a thing
  24. object — an aim

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