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: clip · board · stem · wave · rock · staff · face · snap

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. face — to point toward
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. staff — employees
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. snap — to click
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. clip — for paper
  12. stem — to come from
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. board — a committee
  15. staff — employees
  16. rock — music
  17. face — part of the head
  18. rock — a stone
  19. staff — a stick
  20. board — to get on
  21. clip — a video
  22. clip — to cut
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. face — to confront

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