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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. board — a committee
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. present — a gift
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. last — to go on
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. squash — the sport
  10. wax — to grow
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. squash — to crush
  13. present — the time now
  14. present — there
  15. last — finally
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. last — final
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. board — a flat piece

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