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: object · board · squash · pass · rest · face · fan · tear

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. rest — what's left
  3. squash — to crush
  4. tear — from crying
  5. object — a thing
  6. squash — the sport
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. tear — from crying
  9. pass — a permit
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. object — an aim
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. object — to protest
  15. tear — to rip
  16. board — to get on
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. rest — what's left
  19. face — to confront
  20. face — part of the head
  21. face — to point toward
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. rest — a break

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