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 116 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 · rule · fan · hide · board · face · coach · bound

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bound — tied together
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. board — to get on
  5. wake — a trail
  6. rule — government
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. face — to confront
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. rule — a law
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. board — a committee
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. face — to point toward
  22. face — part of the head
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. bound — obliged

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