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: current · stem · wind · racket · suit · chair · board · cap

  1. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. board — to get on
  3. current — happening now
  4. current — of water
  5. suit — clothes
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. stem — to come from
  8. cap — of ice
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. cap — a lid
  11. wind — moving air
  12. suit — in cards
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. current — electric
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. wind — moving air
  18. cap — a hat
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. suit — to fit
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. board — a committee

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