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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. pass — a permit
  3. board — to get on
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. squash — the sport
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. band — a music group
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. pop — to visit
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. board — a committee
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. sharp — clever
  20. pop — soda
  21. pop — music
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. band — a ring
  24. branch — a division

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