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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. bore — to drill
  3. race — a contest
  4. ball — a great time
  5. board — to get on
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. race — the arms race
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. ball — a dance
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. squash — the sport
  16. tube — the underground
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. tube — a container
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. race — humankind
  23. bore — to tire
  24. board — a committee

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