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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. object — a thing
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. ball — a dance
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. rest — a break
  9. object — an aim
  10. object — to protest
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. rest — what's left
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. squash — the sport
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. ball — a great time
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. rest — what's left

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