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: ground · cap · board · stand · safe · rush · wake · wave

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. ground — crushed
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. stand — to bear
  5. wake — a trail
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. rush — hurry
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. ground — the earth
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. ground — a position
  17. board — a committee
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. board — to get on
  22. cap — of ice
  23. cap — a hat
  24. stand — for spectators

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