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: ruler · coach · prune · chair · wave · arm · hand · board

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. prune — to trim
  4. prune — to trim
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. board — a committee
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. hand — in cards
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. chair — a leader
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. hand — help
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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