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: plane · board · wind · bore · can · lie · rash · squash

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. bore — to drill
  3. squash — the sport
  4. board — to get on
  5. bore — to tire
  6. plane — a tool
  7. rash — hasty
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. squash — to crush
  10. board — a committee
  11. wind — moving air
  12. can — a tin
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. lie — to recline
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. can — a tin
  23. rash — a series
  24. can — to be able to

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