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: wave · pass · object · firm · bat · board · content · chest

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. object — an aim
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. chest — of your body
  7. content — the amount
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. board — a committee
  11. firm — decided
  12. bat — the animal
  13. firm — a company
  14. firm — steady
  15. object — a thing
  16. object — to protest
  17. pass — a permit
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. chest — a box
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. chest — of your body
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. content — happy

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