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: board · arm · pass · game · pound · fan · squash · racket

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  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. game — wild animals
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. pass — a permit
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. game — a match
  6. squash — to crush
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. pound — a weight
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. board — a committee
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. board — to get on
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. racket — for tennis
  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