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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. mug — to rob
  3. bound — obliged
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. mug — a cup
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. mug — a face
  8. squash — to crush
  9. squash — the sport
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. board — a committee
  13. pitch — completely
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. can — a tin
  16. bound — certain
  17. can — a tin
  18. bound — tied together
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. board — to get on
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. wave — with your hand

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