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: club · straw · squash · game · object · bore · wax · board

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. wax — to grow
  4. board — a committee
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. bore — to drill
  8. club — a group
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. bore — to tire
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. club — for dancing
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. game — wild animals
  16. board — to get on
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. object — to protest
  19. club — for golf
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. object — a thing
  22. squash — to crush
  23. game — a match
  24. squash — the sport

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