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 · club · squash · pop · firm · bass · board · charge

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. firm — steady
  3. club — for golf
  4. squash — the sport
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. board — to get on
  8. squash — to crush
  9. pop — to visit
  10. firm — decided
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. club — a group
  13. charge — in control
  14. firm — a company
  15. charge — a price
  16. board — a committee
  17. bass — the fish
  18. club — for dancing
  19. pop — soda
  20. bass — low music
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. charge — electricity
  23. pop — music
  24. cabinet — ministers

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