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: mug · game · bore · wax · ground · charge · squash · board

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. board — a committee
  3. game — wild animals
  4. bore — to drill
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. board — to get on
  9. squash — the sport
  10. mug — a face
  11. mug — to rob
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. bore — to tire
  14. squash — to crush
  15. game — a match
  16. wax — to grow
  17. charge — in control
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. charge — a price
  21. ground — the earth
  22. mug — a cup
  23. ground — a position
  24. charge — electricity

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