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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. ball — a great time
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. squash — to crush
  5. board — a committee
  6. squash — the sport
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. wind — moving air
  9. board — to get on
  10. ball — a dance
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. wind — moving air
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. coach — a trainer

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