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: bear · squash · stand · clip · board · bore · last · ruler

  1. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. clip — a video
  3. squash — to crush
  4. bore — to drill
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. board — a committee
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. board — to get on
  10. clip — to cut
  11. squash — the sport
  12. stand — to bear
  13. bear — the animal
  14. last — finally
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. clip — for paper
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bore — to tire
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. last — to go on

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