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: board · ruler · current · bass · pitcher · lean · rash · stem

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. lean — to bend
  5. bass — the fish
  6. bass — low music
  7. current — of water
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. stem — to come from
  10. lean — thin
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. board — to get on
  14. current — electric
  15. rash — a series
  16. current — happening now
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. rash — hasty
  21. board — a committee
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. ruler — a monarch

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