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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. rash — hasty
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. lie — to recline
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. squash — the sport
  9. rash — a series
  10. row — a line
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. content — the amount
  14. key — in music
  15. row — to paddle
  16. key — for a lock
  17. key — the most important part
  18. content — happy

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