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: hand · cap · staff · board · race · stem · swing · mark

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. swing — to play on
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. board — to get on
  5. swing — music
  6. swing — in golf
  7. staff — a stick
  8. hand — help
  9. stem — to come from
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. cap — of ice
  13. staff — employees
  14. race — the arms race
  15. board — a committee
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. cap — a hat
  18. staff — employees
  19. race — a contest
  20. mark — a grade
  21. race — humankind
  22. hand — in cards
  23. cap — a lid
  24. hand — part of the body

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