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: bay · cap · face · straw · can · board · ruler · bark

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. cap — a hat
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. can — to be able to
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. cap — of ice
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. face — to point toward
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. board — a committee
  13. can — a tin
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. can — a tin
  17. bark — to shout
  18. face — part of the head
  19. cap — a lid
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. face — to confront
  24. straw — dry grass

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