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 120 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: stand · land · board · ball · club · stem · last · rush

  1. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. board — to get on
  3. board — a committee
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. last — finally
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. stand — to bear
  8. club — for golf
  9. rush — hurry
  10. land — a country
  11. last — to go on
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. stem — to come from
  16. ball — a dance
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. ball — a great time
  21. club — a group
  22. land — ground
  23. club — for dancing
  24. land — to come down

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