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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: chest · pass · tear · squash · racket · mate

  1. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. squash — to crush
  4. mate — to breed
  5. tear — from crying
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. squash — the sport
  9. chest — of your body
  10. tear — to rip
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. chest — a box
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. pass — a permit
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. chest — of your body
  17. mate — a partner
  18. mate — a friend

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