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: board · wake · race · craft · fall · bay · snap · object

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. wake — a trail
  3. board — to get on
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. fall — to drop
  8. object — a thing
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. fall — the season
  12. race — humankind
  13. object — an aim
  14. snap — to click
  15. object — to protest
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. race — the arms race
  18. craft — a skill
  19. fall — to drop
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. race — a contest
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. craft — boats
  24. bay — a horse colour

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