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: wake · bank · hide · tube · board · toast · straw · rush

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. tube — the underground
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. bank — for money
  9. wake — a trail
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. tube — a container
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. rush — hurry
  14. toast — bread
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. board — a committee
  17. bank — of a river
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. board — to get on
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. bank — for money

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