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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. pass — a permit
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. club — for dancing
  7. staff — a stick
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. staff — employees
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. club — for golf
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. board — a committee
  17. board — to get on
  18. club — a group
  19. wound — an injury
  20. staff — employees
  21. squash — the sport
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. wound — an injury

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