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: cabinet · suit · board · dip · can · squash · wound · mate

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. wound — an injury
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. mate — a friend
  8. mate — a partner
  9. suit — in cards
  10. dip — to sink
  11. board — a committee
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. suit — to fit
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. mate — to breed
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. squash — to crush
  18. wound — an injury
  19. suit — clothes
  20. can — to be able to
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. squash — the sport
  23. can — a tin
  24. can — a tin

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