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 116 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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. object — an aim
  3. object — a thing
  4. pitch — completely
  5. mine — for digging
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. season — of the year
  13. squash — the sport
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. board — a committee
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. object — to protest
  19. kick — in football
  20. season — in sport
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. board — to get on
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. squash — the vegetable

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