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 · lie · staff · squash · calf · temple · sharp · cell

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. staff — a stick
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. board — a committee
  6. staff — employees
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. squash — to crush
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. cell — a phone
  15. lie — to recline
  16. cell — in biology
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. staff — employees
  20. squash — the sport
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. sharp — clever
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. temple — a place of worship

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