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 120 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: staff · mouse · rest · spell · vault · board · patient · straw

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. spell — a short time
  3. spell — magic
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. rest — a break
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. spell — letters
  11. staff — employees
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. rest — what's left
  14. staff — a stick
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. board — a committee
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. rest — what's left
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. staff — employees
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. vault — a safe
  24. mouse — the animal

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