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: toast · nail · wake · coach · mug · track · ground · board

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. wake — a trail
  4. mug — to rob
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. board — a committee
  7. ground — a position
  8. toast — bread
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. mug — a cup
  12. track — to keep track
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. track — a song
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. mug — a face
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. ground — crushed
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. track — a path
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. ground — the earth
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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