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: march · mate · calf · chair · wave · squash · pass · cap

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. mate — to breed
  3. chair — a leader
  4. march — the month
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. march — the month
  7. cap — a lid
  8. march — music
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. cap — a hat
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. squash — the sport
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. mate — a friend
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. cap — of ice
  19. squash — to crush
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. mate — a partner
  22. pass — a permit
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. chair — to sit 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