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

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. fine — high quality
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. pop — soda
  5. prune — to trim
  6. pop — to visit
  7. pit — in a race
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. squash — to crush
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. pop — music
  15. prune — to trim
  16. fine — all right
  17. pit — a hole
  18. squash — the vegetable

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