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: squash · pass · ruler · mine · court · board · track · bound

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. board — to get on
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. court — of law
  5. squash — to crush
  6. track — to keep track
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. court — of a king
  10. board — a committee
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. track — a path
  13. bound — tied together
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. mine — for digging
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. track — a song
  19. bound — certain
  20. bound — obliged
  21. pass — a permit
  22. squash — the sport
  23. court — for sport
  24. pass — to succeed

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