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 116 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 · squash · face · mate · calf · board · ground · pass

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. pass — a permit
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. squash — to crush
  6. face — to point toward
  7. squash — the sport
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. board — a committee
  13. face — to confront
  14. face — part of the head
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. ground — the earth
  20. mate — a partner
  21. board — to get on
  22. mate — a friend
  23. ground — a position
  24. ground — crushed

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